Don't lose who you are
by l Mona l
Summary: Rebekah's life has changed completely. She is no longer the person she was once, and would give everything to become who she was again. But will she achieve her goal? And more importantly, will her family support her? -AU, possible character death, first appearance of Kol in chapter 25, chapters 3, 19, 22-28, 12-17 and 5-10: rated M
1. Chapter 1

**Authors Note****:**

**Hi, **

**first of all I want to point out that English is not my first language, i.e. I'm sorry if there are any mistakes (I'm sure there are ;-) ), and that this is my very first FanFic ever, so please don't be too hard on me :)**

**Necessary information to understand this FanFic:  
****This is set some time after 1x16, but is AU. Rebekah came back and she and Klaus made up again.  
****Rebekah is no longer a vampire in this story but isn't completely human too (even though she is mortal now).  
She is still in her original body but has no ****vampire abilities apart from that she can't age.**

**Songs that inspired me while writing this chapter:  
****"****Shattered" by "Trading Yesterday"  
****"****How to save a life" by "The Fray"  
****"****Who you are" by "Jessie J"**

**Disclaimer****:  
****The title of the story is taken from the song "Who you are" by "Jessie J".  
****I do not own the mentioned songs all rights belong to their rightful owners.  
****Unfortunately, I do not own any of the characters nor do I own "the Originals" or "the Vampire Diaries" all rights belong to their rightful owners.**

**Please fav &amp; review! :D**

* * *

**Chapter 1**

It was a chilly foggy and dark night in New Orleans. Rebekah has parked her car near one of the bridges leading over the Mississippi river. The crying blonde walked along the empty bridge and came to a halt when she has reached the middle of it.

**Rebekah's POV**

My face was damp of the tears streaming down my face, and my whole body was shaking as I climbed over the banister of the bridge, and positioned myself on the other side of it. My hands were shaking as I held the cold, steel banister behind me in them. I just stood there for a while, while the icy wind blew back my long blond hair. Alone. Lost. Crying. I didn't dare to look down.

What has happened to me? 6 month ago I was this sovereign, strong, badass original, and now… I have no idea who I am anymore… I wish I could just turn the time back and make it all undone. But I can't. Just like I can't be the one I was before all of this happened.

The last months have been too much for me. I've lost everything I have been for the last 1000 years. My speed, my strength, my ability of compelling other people… my self-confidence… my immortality… everything that defined who I am.

Of course I had my family to support me. Nik and Elijah both tried to help me in their own way. Elijah gave me nearly all of his attention, and always asked me how I was feeling, and if I needed anything, but, despite trying to not show it, I knew he was also very worried about me.

Nik tried to help me in his own way, but honestly I would have rather had him not helping me, because he wasn't helpful at all. Despite the thoughtful try of him to give me his blood, when I cut my hand once, in order to see if vampire blood would still work on me, and thus I could be turned into a vampire again, which didn't work, he was more possessive and overprotective than ever. He denied me to leave the house without either one of them, him or Elijah, and forbid me drinking; he even decided that my new bedtime is at 10pm. I know he loves me and that he had the best intentions, but I felt like a bird in a golden cage.

I just can't go on like this anymore, I can't get up morning after morning pretending that I'm fine, that I'm not broken, that I'm not lost, that I'm not helpless, that I'm not fragile,… that I'm not desperate,… that I'm not scared,… that I'm not, not the same person anymore…

My vision was blurry from all my crying and sobbing, and I was so cold that I couldn't feel my hands anymore as I dared to look down. I couldn't see much. Just the darkness and the fog. But I knew that there was the river some meters below me. I could hear the water…

Just one step, and all of this is over. One step, and I'm no longer a burden for my family. One step, and none of all this misery matters anymore. One step, and I'm free…

I raised my foot slowly as my breathing quickened. I was scared. But it was the only way out… I thought of pulling my foot back but I didn't. Instead, I jumped. Closing my eyes as I fell, I heard the wind in my ears and felt how my hair and my clothes were being blown up by the air, before I hit the water surface.

All I could feel was the coldness. My breathing quickened a lot. I could not feel my body anymore. I panicked. I tried to swim but I just couldn't. It was too cold. Slowly I began to sink. I tried to pull myself up but it didn't work. The water went over my mouth. I pulled my head back so that I could breathe. But it was no use. A moment later, I was completely under the surface.

The only thing I could feel was this terrible coldness. It went from the water through my whole body. I was scared for my life. I tried to breathe. The only thing that came into my lungs was this icy water. Moments later, there was darkness. Spreading from the corners of my vision. Soon, all I saw was darkness…

**End of Rebekah's POV**

Meanwhile, on a nearby road…

Klaus and Elijah were sitting in Klaus' SUV, while Klaus was rushing the car down the road. His face displayed a mix of emotions. Worry. Angst. Anger. But the hybrid wasn't the only one showing emotions, Elijah's face was full of worry. Klaus was the one who broke the tense silence.

"Have you heard anything from Marcel's men yet, brother?", the younger one asked impatiently.

"No not yet. Just like I have told you the last thirteen times you have asked me in the past ten minutes. You do realize that they will not contact us sooner just because you choose to ask me if they did every view seconds, brother?", the elder one answered in a seemingly calm but slightly stressed tone.

"What if she 's lying somewhere in an alee, beaten up and bleeding, or worse!? If I find the one who took her, I swear I will grand that bloody coward a long and unmerciful death.", the hybrid growled, tightening the grip of his hands around the steering wheel.

"Niklaus, calm down. We don't know if she's been taken, perhaps she needed some time to herself, and went on her own.", Elijah advised. Now the elder one was getting an even more bad feeling in his stomach, thanks to the mental picture his brother just painted.

"She knows that she isn't allowed to leave the compound on her own, Elijah! What was she thinking? She knows how dangerous it is out there, New Orleans is full of our enemies!"

Elijah sighed, arguing with his brother when he was in such a murderous mood was pointless.

Out of the corner of his eye he recognized a red convertible, but before he could inform his younger sibling about his discovery, the car was pulled around harshly and came to an abrupt halt in front of the red vehicle.

"That's 'Bekah's car.", the blond said as he recognized the registration plate and immediately jumped out of his car, hoping to find indications of his little sisters whereabouts, while his older brother followed him.

Unfortunately, they found nothing.

"What could she want to do here at this time?", the elder sibling wondered.

"I don't know, but we better find her soon. You search on the bridge, I search at the shore, call me if you find something.", the hybrid commanded before both of them sped into the foggy, dark night.

While he sped down the shore, the hybrids eyes noticed the body of a blonde lying in the water, with the stomach and face turned to the ground.

"ELIJAH!", he shouted before he jumped into the freezing water, and swam to his little sister.

"Rebekah? 'Bekah? Are you all right, sweetheart? Please, answer me, open your eyes, love, please…", the older sibling pleaded as he grabbed the unconscious younger one, and noticed her very pale and freezing cold skin, her purple lips, and her very slow and weak heartbeat.

When he received no reaction, he pulled her with him to the shore. Carried her out of the water. Carefully lay her down on the ground. And immediately kneeled down beside her.

Feeling a light blow of air, he moved his head upwards to look at his shocked elder brother.

"… What happened?", the elder one asked in a frightened tone, as he collapsed to his knees at the other side of his sister.

"I don't know… I found her like this in the water.", the wet hybrid answered looking down at his little sister with watery eyes. Suddenly he noticed that her heart has stopped beating, and that she hasn't been breathing.

"…Is she dead?", the eldest asked as he noticed the lack of vital signs too.

"No.", the hybrid answered in an angry and hurt tone, as he started reanimation, "Call an ambulance, now!", the hybrid demanded from his brother." We won't let her die just like that! I won't let her die like that!", he shouted in desperation, as tears rolled down his cheeks.

The eldest did as he was asked and called an ambulance, while his own eyes were very watery. When he hung up they suddenly heard their little sister coughing up water and gasping for air as she opened her beautiful, blue eyes.

"'Bekah, sweetheart, are you all right?", Klaus asked in relief, as he pulled her into a tight hug.

The youngest nodded her head and whispered "… yes.", as she hugged him back weakly with a gnawing feeling of guilt in her chest.

After the hybrid reluctantly released her from the hug, Elijah was the next one to pull her into a hug and whispered in relief "Thank god, you're alive.", before he kissed the top of her wet head.

"What happened?", the eldest asked in a worried tone after he let go of her, while keeping his hand on her shoulder for emotional support.

Rebekah's eyes began to fill up with tears, and she stuttered as she looked on the ground and lied quietly "I-I… I don't know.", while the guilty feeling in her chest grew bigger and bigger as she sat there on the ground.

"What do you mean you don't know? You must have seen something, Rebekah, who did this to you?", Klaus demanded as he grabbed her by the shoulders and turned her to face him.

The youngest looked him in the eyes, but didn't answer.

"'Bekah, who did this to you?", the hybrid asked again, as he looked her in the eyes, trying to find out what she was hiding from him.

The girl began to cry, hot tears streaming down her face as she sobbed a quiet "…I …"

"What? What do you mean?", the hybrid asked shocked, he couldn't believe what she was telling him.

"… I-I… I jumped… from the bridge,", the girl sobbed, "… I-I'm so sorry…".

Niklaus' eyes widened. This couldn't be true, could it?

"But why would you do such a thing, Rebekah?", Elijah asked shocked, while he moved to her side so he could see her face.

"… I just can't live like this anymore, I am no longer who I was 6 month ago, and I have no idea who I am now." The blonde sobbed, as Elijah held her small hand in his larger ones, "I just know that I do not want to be the person I am now, I may look like the old me… but I am not… I'm inferior to her."

"No, Rebekah, you're not.", he stated as he looked her straight in the eyes, "You're still the sweet, loving sister I have known for over the last 1000 years."

She nodded, and tried to give him a small smile, but failed miserably.

Nik gently placed his hand on her cheek and moved her head so that her blue eyes met his own. "Always and Forever.", he said "This is the only promise I have ever kept in my entire life, and I intend to keep it.", he said with a sincere voice while raising his eyebrows.

Then he smiled at her and whipped away her tears with his hand. Rebekah gave him a weak smile in response, before he pulled the still very pale girl in a hug and kissed the top of her wet head. A moment later, Elijah joined the group hug and whispered "We'll find a solution, we always do.", while the sirens of the approaching ambulance could be heard.

* * *

**Authors Note****: **

**I hope you liked the first chapter. I wanted to start writing FanFics long ago, but I never really found the time to do it, and now I have it. I would love to hear what you think of it, so please, be so kind and leave a review. **

**Thank you so much for reading my first chpater! :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer****: **

**The title of the story is taken from the song "Who you are" by "Jessie J".  
****I do not own the mentioned song; all rights belong to their rightful owners.  
****Unfortunately, I do not own any of the characters nor do I own "the Originals" or "the Vampire Diaries", all rights belong to their rightful owners.**

* * *

**Chapter 2**

**Rebekah's POV**

I opened my eyes slowly as I woke up. I was lying in a bright room; it was a bit too bright for my liking. My eyes needed a moment to adjust to the bright light before I could see anything clearly. I was lying in a hospital bed in a large room, with panorama windows and a sitting area consisting of two couches, a glass table and some other furniture. There was a large plasma TV on the opposite wall. The room was kept in a modern design, and I figured that I must be lying in a hospital suite, since there were three other doors attached to the room.

As I tried to sit up, I felt a piercingly pain in the back of my left hand and realised that there was a needle in my hand. The needle belonged to a transparent infusion bag, which was hanging on a metal stand on the left side of my bed. There was also a clip on my thump that belonged to some other machine near my bed.

"You're awake." I heard a familiar voice saying as someone took my hand. I turned my head to my right and saw Nik sitting on a chair beside my bed.

"How are you feeling?" he asked as he ran his hand through my long, loosely curled, blond hair.

"I'm fine.", I answered, while thinking that that must sound like a lie considering that I tried suicide not long ago.  
"What happened?" I asked then.

"You fell asleep in the ambulance. The doctors say that everything's fine, but they want to keep you in here until tomorrow to be sure." Nik explained. "You must have been really exhausted…" he added in a worried tone as he looked at me.

I didn't want to talk about what I did, so I tried to change the subject. "What's that for?", I asked as I pointed at the infusion bag on the other side of my bed.

"The doctors said that you need a lot of fluid." Nik explained. I nodded. "Hayley was here earlier." he informed me, "She brought you a bag with some of your clothes, a few books and some other stuff. She's worried about you." There was a short break then he continued. "Elijah is here, the doctors wanted to know how everything happened. He is talking with them right now. Shall I go and get him? I'm sure he'll be happy to see that you're awake."

"No, it's ok. Let him talk to them." I answered.

"Please, let me help you, 'Bekah. Do you need anything? Are you hungry or thirsty?", he then asked me.

I could see that he was really worried about me, and I felt guilty about it. What have I done? Why must I always make other people feel unhappy? It's all my fault. But I realised that I needed him, so I answered "No, its fine. I don't need anything." "Just… could you stay here with me for a while?" I then asked in a more hurt tone then I intended.

Nik nodded and climbed onto the bed. He sat next to me and I leaned against him, while he laid his arms around me and whispered "I will always stay with you, Rebekah. No matter what." A content smile appeared on my face. Suddenly, my eyelids felt heavy, and, a moment later, I fell asleep.

* * *

I lay alone in my bed, when I was woken by someone's whispering. When I opened my eyes, I saw Nik and Elijah talking in hushed tones. I didn't understand much, but heard them saying something about me and a psychologist.

"What's the matter?" I asked as I sat up. My voice was still a bit croaky from sleeping.

They immediately stopped talking and looked at me. "I'm sorry if we have woken you, Rebekah. Everything is fine, just go back to sleep, it'll do you good." Elijah answered.

I knew that he was lying to me, so I said "I heard you talking, Elijah, you said something about a psychologist. What is going on?" I asked with a now clear voice.

Elijah walked to stand beside my bed, and then he sighed, looked at me and explained "I talked to the doctors. They think that it is the best for you to talk with a psychologist. They say that he can evaluate your situation and help you find a proper solution."

I opened my mouth to protest, but Nik interrupted me and added "I already found a good psychologist, who knows about the supernatural. You have an appointment with him on Monday at 10 am."

"What!? I don't need a bloody psychologist, I'm not insane! You can't just decide for me without even asking for my opinion! I'm not a child anymore!" I yelled angrily. How dare they? That should be my decision to make, not theirs! What will they do next, put me in psychiatry and hope that I won't notice?!

"Sane persons don't jump from bridges." Klaus snapped back at me, he was obviously frustrated.

I was about to counter, when Elijah interrupted me and said "Rebekah, calm down. I know this is much for you at the moment, and you might have the false impression that we're trying to control you. But, we are only trying to help you and want what's best for you." he explained. "We are not doing this because we don't care about what you want; we are doing this precisely because we care for you and want to protect you."

I sighed. Maybe he was right. Perhaps I was a bit too impulsive…. They're doing their best to help me and I'm arguing with them. That's not fair. I should be grateful that at least my family cares about me. Because, let's be honest, no one else does… And maybe it's not that bad to talk to a psychologist. I mean, I can try it. Who knows? Perhaps this person can really help me, even if I doubt that.

"Maybe you're right. I have a problem… perhaps this psychologist can help me find a solution. I should at least try it.", I answered honestly.

Elijah took my hand and said "I'm glad to hear you say this.", then he smiled at me.

I looked at both of them. "Thank you. I know that this must be tiring for you, and I want you to know that I don't take it for granted." I thanked them sincerely.

Elijah smiled at me and said "Always and Forever.".

**End of Rebekah's POV**

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**Authors Note****: **

**Hey Everyone, :) **

**First of all, thank you so much for spending your precious time with reading my second chapter. Every time, that I see that someone new has clicked on my story and hopefully red it, I jump up and down and squeal like a fan girl. :D  
****However, despite the fact that you, my lovely readers, sweeten my day by just clicking on my story, I do have a request of you.**

**_PLEASE REVIEW!_**

**I really do need to know what you think about this story, and if you want me to continue it. :)**

**(For those of you, whose first language is not English: I know that some of you may be a bit shy and also afraid of making any spelling or grammar mistakes, but you know what? I'm not perfect too.)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer****: **

**The title of the story is taken from the song "Who you are" by "Jessie J".  
I do not own the mentioned song all rights belong to their rightful owners.  
Unfortunately, I do not own any of the characters nor do I own "the Originals" or "the Vampire Diaries" all rights belong to their rightful owners.**

* * *

**Chapter 3**

3 days later…

**Rebekah's POV**

It was 7 am as I woke up in my bedroom. I got up, took a shower, got dressed (I wore a fashionable, casual, short, olive green dress, combined with a black and olive green leather jacket, a black pair of tights and heeled, black, biker boots), made my hair and put on my favourite make-up, while I thought about what happened yesterday.

Yesterday, I had my first session with my new psychologist. It was… odd. Nik drove me, but I needed fifteen minutes to get him to leave the building, in order to make sure that he won't overhear our conversation. Lately, I feel like a prisoner…

At first, I felt really uncomfortable. I was sitting in a room with a stranger that I was supposed to tell all my worries and feelings. There are things I don't even talk about with my family, and I know them for over a thousand years, so how am I supposed to talk about them with this person?

But after we have talked for a while and I got to know him better, and he me, I felt more comfortable around him. His name is Doctor Conan Dubois, he seems to be in his 50's and he descends from a family of witches, however he is not an active witch. He explained that he has never had any interest in magic. He also told me that his parents already died, and that his mother was a witch and his father was human. His father was a surgeon and he wanted to become a surgeon too, but after he had an incident during his intern year, he switched to psychiatry. He also mentioned that he was married once, but they got divorced. He seemed to be an open minded, intelligent person, and I think that I like him.

I also told him some things about me. Not everything. But the most important things. Though, I didn't tell him much about my problem. Only that I tried to commit suicide. I just didn't felt like I was ready to talk about it with him in detail after mere 60 minutes.

When Nik brought me home, after the session, he asked me how it went. I merely told him that it went good and that I like Doctor Dubois.

My next appointment is next week, and I think I'm looking forward to it…

* * *

I was walking downstairs to the kitchen to make my brekkie, when I noticed that something was different. There was a stranger in our lounge, he was sitting there with my brothers, and they were talking. He had brunette hair and brown eyes and seemed to have an athletic body. The man wore an unbuttoned, casual, knitwear, sweater cardigan combined with a loose, black t-shirt and a pair of dark jeans. He definitely was none of Nik's or Marcel's lackeys. Speaking of Marcel, where was he? I haven't seen him for days… I wanted to continue my walk to the kitchen, when Elijah called me.

"Rebekah, would you come here please?" he asked.

"What is it?" I asked as I walked into our lounge.

"I need you to give me your laptop and your smartphone." he answered.

"And why would you want them?" I asked arrogantly. Sometimes, I really think they like to think of ways to irritate me when they get bored.

"Oh, I don't know, little sister, perhaps so that you won't get distracted and start to concentrate on getting rational again." Klaus commented in his usual sarcastic tone and earned a stern look from Elijah.

"I am not irrational." I stated irritated.

"That's right, I forgot, only rational people try to commit suicide." he said sarcastically, while rolling his eyes.

I wanted to snap something back at him, when the stranger intervened and suggested "Why don't we just all come down a bit."

"Excuse me and who are you?" I asked annoyed.

"Jason.", he answered with a smile, while offering me a handshake.

"Rebekah, pleasure I'm sure. Now, could you please excuse us, I need to talk to my siblings." I said in an offensive tone, while ignoring his outstretched hand.

"Well, I don't think I can." he answered calmly, "Rebekah, I'm a suicide counsellor. Your brothers brought me here to help you. I'll live here for a while and be on call 24/7 to help you."

"That's not fair! I don't need a bloody suicide counsellor!" I yelled angrily at my brothers, "I thought you wanted to help me? I go to this psychologized and I stick to your rules! And instead of appreciating my efforts, you go behind my back and get that moron without even asking what I think of it! I don't need a babysitter!"

I shook with fury. What the bloody hell were they thinking?! I am not their property! I am my own person, and I decide what I need and what I don't need! I don't want, nor do I need, this pathetic counsellor! I'm fine! I can deal with this by myself; I don't need someone to watch over me all day! I try to cooperate with them and what do I get in return? Nothing! Just distrust! …that hurts…

"Rebekah, look, I know that this is much for you right now. But you have to understand that we are just trying to do what's best for you. Jason is a professional and with his help you'll get better soon." Elijah explained.

"Oh really, am I? Because, as far as I see it, it has little to do with helping me, but a lot with finding a way to spy on me. Do you two really distrust me this much?" I asked, while I tried to prevent my chin from quivering. I didn't want to cry. Not now.

"Given the fact that you tried to commit suicide, instead of talking with us about your problems? Yes." Klaus argued. You could hear it clearly in his voice, he was pissed. But I didn't care, I was too upset.

"This is pathetic, even for you." I stated, while giving him a death glare, which he returned. I then stormed out of the room, straight to the entrance of the building. I placed my trembling hand on the doorknob and opened the front door halfway, when it was suddenly shut by someone's hand. I turned to find Klaus standing beside me, with his hand pressed against the door.

"You don't really think that I just let you leave like that, do you?" he asked rhetorically. Now, he sounded even more pissed than before. I glared at him in defiance. Considering it retrospectively, I should have just kept my mouth. But I couldn't. I was still too upset.

"What? Is the bastard son now giving commands? You have no right to tell me what to do, you are not my brother." I stated provokingly.

In the blink of an eye, I was crashed against a wall with Klaus' strong, aching iron grip around my upper arms.

"**YOU DO NOT SPEAK TO ME LIKE THAT!**" he yelled loudly in a very frightening tone.

I winced. My heartbeat fastened, while my eyes widened and went watery. My breathing quickened. My head and my spine hurt where I hit the wall. I was trembling. But not, as before, because of a mixture of anger and hurt, I was trembling because I was scared. I was scared for my life…

* * *

**Authors Note****:**

**OMG! The hybrid is really pissed. Poor Bekah… Is he really going to kill her? Well, I guess we have to wait to find out.**

**Actually, I wanted to update this chapter on Friday (I intend to update on every Friday), but because of the motivating reviews of the lovely yasmindb12, I decided to update it now. Thank you so much for your nice words yasmindb12! :)**

**I hope you all liked this chapter. :)  
I've done my part, now it's your turn.  
You know what to do. ;)**

**_*cough*please review*cough*_**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer****: **

**The title of the story is taken from the song "Who you are" by "Jessie J".  
I do not own the mentioned song all rights belong to their rightful owners.  
Unfortunately, I do not own any of the characters nor do I own "the Originals" or "the Vampire Diaries" all rights belong to their rightful owners.**

* * *

_I winced. My heartbeat fastened, while my eyes widened and my breathing quickened. My head and my spine hurt where I hit the wall. I was shaking. But not, as before, because of a mixture of anger and hurt, I was shaking because I was scared. I was scared for my life…_

* * *

**Chapter 4**

A thousand thoughts ran at the same time through my mind. Is he going to kill me? Is he going to break my neck? Or will he just rip my heart out? I did not know… But then again… wasn't that exactly what I wanted? To die. To escape this pathetic existence? To leave this exhausting life behind me and finally find peace? To-

Suddenly, before he could do anything stupid, Elijah pushed himself between us, in the blink of an eye, with his hand pressed against Klaus' chest. He then immediately pushed Klaus backwards.

"Niklaus, don't you dare." He warned the beast.

I pressed myself against the wall to get as much space between our half-brother and me as possible. I was petrified. Over Elijah's shoulder, I stared at him in both shock and anxiety, while he threw a lethal look back at me.

"Sister, go to your room." Elijah said calmly, while he stared at our half-brother.

But I couldn't. It was like I was frozen in place.

"I said leave us, please." Elijah repeated.

I stood still for a moment, and then I ran as fast as I could, past the suicide babysitter, and straight to my room. When I arrived at my destination, I immediately locked the door behind me.

* * *

I sat on my bed, curled up with my chin resting on my knees, and cried quietly. Hot tears were running down my cheeks and I couldn't make them stop. The back of my head, my spine and my upper arms were hurting. Why was I so afraid? Nik and I had a lot of quarrels over the years, but I've never felt like this before… terrified… hurt… exhausted… alone… and cold… at the same time… Was it because I knew that he could easily kill me now for good? Or was it because I knew that I couldn't defend myself the way I could have in the past anymore. I did not know… I just knew that I felt terrible.

Where is the point in living this pathetic life? It is exhausting and unimportant. Where is the point in standing on the edge of an endless, dark abyss with your back turned to it, while facing a giant mountain of problems and sorrow in your way, of which you know you can't climb? Isn't it easier to just let yourself fall backwards into the endless darkness of the abyss?

As I touched the back of my head, I felt a sensation of burning pain and immediately bit down on my lip. The pain felt different than the pain I felt as an immortal… it was more intense. When I looked down on my hand, I noticed that there was blood on it. But the blood on my hand didn't make me feel hungry nor did it wake the predator that was once in me, it scared me. It scared me, because it was my blood… I was bleeding… not much, but it was still hurting and worried me…

I winced when I heard the front door being shut loudly. Nik has probably left the house in his temper tantrum, which means that some poor humans or baby vampires won't survive the day…

Someone knocked on my door, which made me doubt my earlier assumption…

"Rebekah, are you ok?" I heard Elijah's voice asking, he sounded worried…

"I'm fine." I answered with a trembling voice, after I've wiped the tears off my face.

"May I come in?" he asked in a soft tone.

"No. I'm fine. Could you just leave me alone, please?" I asked him with a still trembling voice.

He sighed. "I am downstairs if you need anything, sister." He said, before I heard him leaving.

I am so lucky to have Elijah; I don't know what I would do without him. Well… I guess I'd be already dead… He is the only person in my life I can count on and who has never betrayed me. Sometimes, I wonder how he can handle every situation and make it look like it is the easiest thing in the world. He really is my knight in shining armour.

But right now, I didn't want anyone to be near me. It would just hurt more…

Eventually, I fell asleep. I was so exhausted and tired…

* * *

It was dark and silent when I woke up. It was difficult to see anything clearly. When I rolled on my other side, I saw a figure standing a few feet away from my bed. It was Nik. Though, I couldn't see his face because of the distance and the darkness, I knew that he was looking at me.

"Your head… it must hurt…" he said in a worried tone, as he walked over to me and sad down on the edge of my bed.

"I'm so sorry, sister." He whispered, after he stroked with his hand over my head.

I sat up, so that I could have a better look at him. He really looked sorry… and I knew that he was feeling guilty… I couldn't help but think of the sweet, innocent young boy he was once. The boy who looked at the world with wide, excited eyes, and who could have never hurt anyone. The boy who comforted me when I was scared. I could see that this boy was still in there…

"I've lost my temper… I shouldn't have…" he started, "'Bekah… you're my family. I need you." "Please, forgive me, love." He said with watery eyes.

I believed him. He was honest with me.

"It's ok, Nik. I forgive you." I said quietly, before we hugged.

"I'm sorry for what I said earlier… I hate it when we fight... I... I was just so angry and-" I said quietly, with my face buried in his shoulder.

"Shhh… its ok, little sister. I forgive you, too." He whispered, before he kissed the top of my head.

I didn't realise that my eyes have been watery all that time, until I felt a tear rolling down my cheek.

I don't know how long we've been hugging, until I eventually fell asleep.

* * *

**Authors Note****:**

**Awww… aren't they the cutest? I just love their sibling relationship! **

**A big thank you goes out to yasmindb12 and Rebekah184! I'm so grateful for your motivating reviews; it makes me really happy to read them and makes me continue writing. :)**

**I hope you all liked this chapter. :)  
Please let me know what you think about it, I need your reviews so that I won't lose my motivation!**

**_PLEASE REVIEW!_**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer****: **

**The title of the story is taken from the song "Who you are" by "Jessie J".  
****I do not own the mentioned song all rights belong to their rightful owners.  
****Unfortunately, I do not own any of the characters nor do I own "the Originals" or "the Vampire Diaries" all rights belong to their rightful owners.**

* * *

**Chapter 5**

It's been a day since Nik and I made up again, and we were on good terms since then. I like it when we're not fighting. It feels good… peaceful.

My bloody babysitter on the other hand is driving me crazy! Nik and Elijah give me at least some space when I'm at home, but this guy follows me everywhere! And it's not like he's my quite shadow, he just won't stop talking to me! He is always giving his unrequested opinions and advices, and is asking ridiculous questions in the hopes that I would seriously answer them non-sarcastically. I've never met such an annoying person in my entire life! And I've met Elena Gilbert. The only way to avoid him for at least an hour was to bring my appointment with Doctor Dubois forward.

* * *

"So, Rebekah, is there a reason why you brought our appointment forward? Do you want to talk with me about something specifically, or did something happen since the last time we spoke?" Doctor Dubois asked me as we sat in his patient room.

It was a large room, kept in a modern design. The walls were painted in white and there were a lot of pictures and certificates hanging on the walls. There were some black bookshelves standing at one of the walls, with a lot of books about science, especially psychology, and some pictures in them. One of the walls consisted of a large panorama window, which offered a wonderful view over the French Quarter. The floor was laid-out with brown to grey laminate, and in the middle of the room stood a leather couch and a leather armchair across from it. There, also, stood a glass coffee table between the couch and the armchair.

"No, it's nothing. I just had time and thought that it would be nice to talk a bit." I lied with a polite smile on my lips.

"So, this has nothing to do with your new suicide counsellor?" Doctor Dubois asked.

"Wait. How do you know about my babysitter? I don't remember telling you about him?" I asked suspiciously.

Was he really a psychologist? Or was he part of one of the witches plans to destroy my family and take back the quarter? Suddenly, I felt uncomfortable in his presence.

"No, you did not. But Jason contacted me as your suicide counsellor." Doctor Dubois explained.

"So you've basically told him everything we've talked about. I thought psychologists are not allowed to talk about their patients?" I said arrogantly, as I started to feel angry. My own psychologist betrayed me.

"That is right. We are not allowed to talk about our patients, that is why I did not talk about our sessions with him, Rebekah. You can trust me, whatever we say in this room, stays in this room. Jason just wanted to get to know me; he thinks that it could help him to understand your situation." The doctor explained.

I decided that Doctor Dubois was telling the truth, because that really sounded like my babysitter.

"You called Jason your babysitter earlier. Is that how you see him?" the Doctor asked.

"Look, I don't want to talk about him, ok?" I said irritated. The reason why I came here was to avoid him, not to talk about him.

"Then let us talk about something else. How did you become mortal?" he asked.

I swallowed. "I don't want to talk about it." I stated, while I stared at the glass coffee table. The memory of how I became mortal was not one of my most pleasant ones…

"Do you mean that you don't want to talk about it, or do you mean that you don't want to process what happened?" Doctor Dubois asked. "Rebekah, I think we should talk about what happened. You need to process the memory, suppressing it won't help you, it will only make your situation worse." He explained. "Let me help you."

I sighed. Perhaps he was right. Suppressing it won't help…

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes for a moment. "It happened 6 months ago." I started. "I've just made up with my brother, after a serious fight, and decided to come back to New Orleans. I realised that nothing had really changed much. The werewolves were still living in the bayou, while the witches and some vampires were still trying to oust my family and me. I had a random tourist for dinner, when I was suddenly attacked by a bunch of witches. Including an old friend of mine, Genevieve..."

**-FLASHBACK-**

I tried to fight them off, but they gave me an enormous headache and I fell to my knees while holding my head in my hands. Then, they injected me something into my neck and everything went black…

* * *

I opened my eyes slowly as I awoke. I felt terrible. I was tired and my whole body was aching… They must have injected me vervain… I noticed a prick on my arm. It seemed like they either injected me more vervain or took some of my blood.

I looked at my surroundings. It was dark and I was alone. I was lying on the floor of a cell. It had the shape of a square and there were no windows, only a heavy, rugged, metal door.

I don't know how long I've been lying on the floor until the door suddenly opened. A woman with red hair came in. Genevieve. She held a bowl in her hands. I wanted to attack her, but I was too weak due to the vervain. She kneeled beside me, gripped my head and shoved the liquid content of the bowl down my throat. I coughed. It tasted disgusting.

"It's time for revenge, my friend." Genevieve said bitterly with a cold expression.

Then, she pulled me off the floor and out of the cell. I stumbled after her, while she pulled me at my arm trough some corridors and out of the building. In that moment, I swore to kill her as soon as the effects of the vervain decreased. I didn't care about the fact that we were friends once; I just wanted to repay her for what she did to me. Then, she pushed me into the backseat of a black car, where some of her witch friends injected me another dose of vervain. Everything began to spin and my vision went blurry. I blacked out again…

* * *

I was lying on hard ground again, when I awoke. My whole body was still aching and I felt still tired. But this time I wasn't lying in a cell, I was lying in a circle, drawn on the ground of the Lafayette Cemetery. And I also wasn't alone, the bloody bitch Genevieve and her bloody witch friends were standing around me.

"I see you're finally awake. Took you long enough." Genevieve said in a bitter tone. "I didn't want you to miss the most exciting part." She added.

"What do you want?" I asked with a croaky voice. My throat was hurting due to the content of the bowl.

"The same thing I've wanted since the day you killed me, friend. I want my revenge." She explained coldly.

Has she finally gone mad? What did she think would happen after she had her revenge? She knows my brothers, and she knows that they wouldn't hesitate killing her and her friends as soon as they found out.

"Do you really think that there won't be any consequences for you and your friends?" "Do you have any idea what my siblings will do to you when they find out?" I asked them angrily, as I tried to sit up. "They will kill you and everyone you've ever met. If I were you, I would stop right here, before it's too late." I threatened them. I could see that the others started to doubt what they were doing.

"Don't listen to her. She is just trying to alienate you. Trust me; I know how good she is at manipulating other people into doing what she wants." Genevieve said bitterly, while starring down at me.

I started to feel guilty about what I did nearly a hundred years ago… We were friends once… Though I faked my sympathy towards her at the beginning, I really liked her in the end. She was a good friend... and I betrayed her… I should know best how it feels to be betrayed by someone you trust…

They started their spell. My breathing and my heartbeat quickened. My whole body was aching and I screamed in pain. Hot tears were running down my face. I had no idea what was happening. It felt like they staked me with a thousand white oak stakes.

Suddenly, they stopped their murmuring, and with that the pain stopped too. My body felt heavy and I could barely keep my eyes open. I was breathing heavily. I was exhausted. I felt that something was different. I just didn't know what. Then, Genevieve stepped forward with a knife in her hand and knelt down beside me.

"What the bloody hell did you do to me?" I asked her with a weak voice as she held the knife to my throat.

"We made you mortal, my friend. You're no longer a vampire." Genevieve explained with a cold expression in her face.

"That's impossible. I'm over a thousand years old; if you made me mortal I would already be nothing but a pile of ash." I snapped back at her with my still croaky voice.

"The spell took all your vampire abilities except the incapability of ageing. I've waited nearly a hundred years to kill you with my own hands, Rebekah. Do you really think I am so stupid, that I'd neglect the pleasure to do it, by just letting you turn peacefully into ashes?" She asked angrily, before she pulled me of the ground. "But first, I want to see you suffer." She stated with an evil smile, before she cut with the knife deep into my stomach and pushed me back to the ground.

After I hit the hard and cold ground, I felt my warm blood rushing out of the wound at my stomach. I had trouble breathing and I felt how my heartbeat slowed down. My spine and the back of my head hurt where I hit the ground. I could see how Genevieve kneeled down beside me. She raised the knife over my chest.

"Goodbye, friend." She said bitterly before she moved her hand fast down to push the knife into my heart.

Suddenly, someone gripped her wrist and threw her backwards. It was Nik. I felt relieved as I saw him. My vision was already blurry and I couldn't really understand what he was saying, but I saw how he knelt down beside me and stroked my hair. Then, everything went black.

* * *

**-END OF FLASHBACK-**

"How do you feel about Genevieve now?" Doctor Dubois asked me, after he wrote down some notes on a small notebook.

"Genevieve is dead." I said quietly, as I stared out of the window with watery eyes.

I didn't want to talk about how I felt about her. She destroyed my life… she took everything away from me… because of her I lost who I was once… because of her I want to die…

"That doesn't answer my question." he said.

For a moment, I looked him straight in the eyes, and then I said bitterly "I hate her."

"Do you think she is at fault, for what happened to you?" he asked.

"Of course I bloody do! What is this for ridiculous a question? I mean, don't you think that bitch is at fault, too?" I exclaimed angrily, while a tear rolled down my cheek.

"I understand. Rebekah, my opinion is not important. I am here to help you, not to influence you." He explained calmly.

"Well, perhaps you should over think your philosophy, because talking doesn't help much." I said arrogantly, before I stormed off.

* * *

**Authors Note**:

**So… I know that this chapter isn't really good, but since I read the review of bwillard5, I just had to explain how Rebekah became mortal.**

**A big thank you goes out to HermioneMalfoy, ch lover21 and bwillard5, who basically inspired me into writing this chapter!**

**I hope you all are not so disappointed of this chapter, that you'll stop reading my story. I promise that I'll try to make it better the next time. :)**

**As always: ****_PLEASE REVIEW!_**


	6. Chapter 6

**Song recommendation:  
****"****Without You" by "Ingrid Michaelson"**

**Disclaimer****:  
****The title of the story is taken from the song "Who you are" by "Jessie J".  
****I do not own the mentioned songs all rights belong to their rightful owners.  
****Unfortunately, I do not own any of the characters nor do I own "the Originals" or "the Vampire Diaries" all rights belong to their rightful owners.**

* * *

_ "__**Well, perhaps you should over think your philosophy, because talking doesn't help much." I said arrogantly, before I stormed off.**_

* * *

**Chapter 6**

I rushed straight into the lift, which, luckily, was on my floor. I pressed the button for the ground floor and the lift doors closed. I took a deep breath to calm myself. Why was I so upset about Genevieve? I know that we were no longer friends… So why was I so upset, when I thought of her?

Suddenly, I heard the flowing of water. I knit my brows, critically. Where was that coming from? Then, the lift stopped and the lights went out. A moment later, water was rushing into the lift through the gap between the lift doors. There was more and more water streaming into the elevator. As it reached my knees, I started to feel dizzy and coughed up water myself. I tried to breathe, but there was no air coming into my lungs. It was like they were filled with water. I panicked. What was happening, to me? It was like I was drowning all over again…

"Are you all right, Miss.?" A young man asked, as he touched my shoulder. The man was wearing a white coat, and looked as if he was working here. The lift was working again, the lights were switched on and there was no indication that this room was filled with water a moment earlier.

I immediately switched from looking like a heavy breathing insane person to looking like a normal sane person, before I answered "Yes, everything's fine."

As the lift stopped on the ground floor and opened its doors again, I saw Elijah and my babysitter standing in front of the lift.

"Sister, we just wanted to pick you up from your session." Elijah said with a polite smile, as I walked out of the lift. "How was it?" he asked then.

"It was good." I simply answered with a faked smile on my lips. I couldn't tell Elijah what happened, he would just get worried again.

"Rebekah, I need to talk to you later." My babysitter said, as we walked to the exit of the building.

"Fine." I answered, after a sigh. I really didn't have the nerve to argue with him. As we walked towards the exit, I looked back to the lift. What the bloody hell did just happen?

* * *

Half an hour later, I was sitting on a sofa in our lounge with my babysitter sitting on the sofa across from me.

"Rebekah, I think it's about time that we talk about your attitude." My babysitter started.

"My attitude? And what do you think is my attitude?" I asked defensively. My attitude is not his business and he is in no position to estimate my attitude.

"I think that you try to avoid your feelings instead of dealing with them. I think that you don't talk about your fears and your problem, because you don't want to worry your family. And I think that you don't open up to me, because it would mean facing your problems." He said calmly, while looking me straight in the eye.

Everything he said was true… I am running away… I don't want to worry family… and I don't want to face my problems… But I would be dammed, if I told him that he was right. "Well, seems like you think a lot." I commented arrogantly.

He gave a loud sigh. Then he stood up and sat next to me on the sofa. "Look, Rebekah, I know how you feel-" he said softly while looking into my eyes until I interrupted him.

"And how do you know that?" I asked arrogantly. He has no idea of how I feel. Just because he has helped a view people with suicide thoughts doesn't mean that he knows how I feel or that he knows me. He knows nothing about me!

He looked into my eyes and then he said calmly "I know how you feel, because I've been there too. 1881 years ago, when I was 24, I've reached the deepest point in my life. I felt like I was standing on the edge of an endless, dark abyss with my back turned to it, while facing a giant mountain of problems and sorrow in my way, of which I thought I couldn't climb. And I chose the easiest way. I let myself fall backwards into the endless darkness of the abyss… Fortunately, my brother, who was already a vampire at that time, took notice of my misery and mixed his blood secretly into my drinks. I got a second chance in life because of him. It's not the life that I've imagined for myself, but it gave me another perspective on my problems and I'm thankful for it."

What Jason was telling me made me feel sorry. Sorry for the way I treated him… But it also showed me that there is a way out. That I will get passed this if I try…

I looked into his eyes and said "I'm sorry… for the way I treated you." I sighed, and then I added "It wasn't right."

He placed his hand on mine. It felt… nice. "It's ok. Just promise me that you will show more cooperation. I'm here for you. Not for me." He told me in a soft tone. "Do you want to tell me how you were turned?" he asked me carefully.

"It's not a good story, trust me. Full of family drama." I simply told him.

"I want to hear it." He said in a calm tone.

There was something about him that made me feel safe… I just didn't know what. So I decided to tell him. "A thousand years ago, I was just a normal, happy 17-year-old girl. My life was very simple, but I liked it. The only things I've wanted were to have a home, a family, someone to love me and to live. However, this life ended when my little brother Henrik died and my mother created a spell to turn my siblings and me into vampires. She and my father didn't even gave us a choice…" I explained.

"I see…" Jason answered quietly.

It made me sad to talk about what happened. But not because of how I was turned, it made me sad because talking about the old days brought up a piece of my past which I had buried long ago...

* * *

**-FLASHBACK-**

It was evening and I was lying on my bed. I've been feeling sick in the mornings for days, and had to run into the woods to throw up after every brekkie. At first I thought I had the flew or that it was some reaction of my body towards Henricks death, but after I hadn't had my last period a bomb exploded in my head. I was pregnant. A view weeks ago, I had my first time with Nashoba, one of the beasts and my big love. He was sweet and kind and we understood each other without words. He was the one. But father would never let me marry him, nor would he ever accept his child in our family. If I tell him, he would immediately marry me off to the highest bidder. And I couldn't risk moving away and never seeing Nashoba again. It would kill me. What was I supposed to do? On the one hand, I had the fortune to have a child with the love of my life and couldn't be happier about it, but on the other hand, I could never have a life with him and our child.

Suddenly, there was a knock on my door and I was pulled out of my thoughts and sat up on my bed. Then I heard my mother's voice saying "Rebekah, come. Supper is ready."

I was a bit of confused. Normally, my mother would call me to help her with supper, but this time she did it alone. "Yes, mother." I answered and made my way to our kitchen.

When I arrived in the kitchen, my whole family was already situated at the table and chattered. My father sat as always at the head of the wooden table, to his right sat my mother and to his left Kol. Finn was situated to the right of our mother and next to him Elijah. Nik was sitting opposite to Elijah. I took my seat next to Nik, as I always did. He smiled at me and I gave him a smile in return. Although, I wouldn't admit it to the others, he was my favourite brother. He always had time for me when the others didn't and when I was upset he was the only one who could calm me down.

As we were eating our father offered us wine. That was something special, because normally he would never do that. Of course, we all accepted it happily and when Elijah asked our father what the occasion for his generosity was, our father told him that we're drinking on the destruction of all beasts. I didn't really understand what my father meant with that, and judging by the looks on my siblings faces, they felt the same. But no one dared to question our father. Suddenly, the look on my father's face went ice cold and he pulled his sword out.

"Father, what are you doing with that?" Elijah asked confused.

But our father didn't say anything. With one quick movement, he stabbed the sword into Finn's chest. We shrieked in both shock and fear as we jumped up from our seats. All but my mother, she remained still on her chair. What was our father doing!? Finn's eyes went wide and he fell to the floor while there was a lot of blood streaming out of his chest, forming a puddle on the floor.

"Father what are you doing!?" Elijah screamed in shock.

"…he's finally gone mad." Nik whispered in shock.

"Fath-" Elijah screamed as our father approached him and stabbed him with his sword.

"NOOO! NO! ELIJAH! NOOO! NO! NOOO!" I screamed at the top of my lungs as the tears flowed out of my eyes like a waterfall. I tried to run over to him, but Nik grabbed me and held me back. I tried to get free, but it was no use. "NO! LET GO OF ME! NO! NOOO! ELIJAH! " I screamed in despair as we watched our brother lying on the ground, dark blood rushing out of his chest while he took his final breaths. Nik stared over at our brother in shock, a single tear running down his cheek. A moment later, our beloved brother Elijah was gone.

I was shaking and my legs gave in as bitter sobs twisted up my insides. I would have sunk to the ground, if Nik wouldn't have held me up. Father… h- he-… just killed… This couldn't be true… It couldn't… I-… I would never see him again… I would never see our big brother again… He has been always there for me… He has always protected me… and the one time he needed my help… I-… I didn't-… I didn't help him…

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw how Kol tried to flee as he ran for the door. But Mikael was faster and stabbed him with his sword. "NO-" I tried to scream as Nik held his hand over my mouth. I started to sob again as our brother fell to the floor. Then Mikael approached Nik and me. Nik let go of me and I sank to the floor.

"…No… no…Kol…no…" I sobbed as I was kneeling on the floor my hands wrapped around myself in a pathetic attempt to comfort me.

"Don't you dare touch her." I heard how my only remaining sibling stepped in front of me and warned Mikael. I could hear it in his voice… he was as broken as I was… but there was something else in his voice too… anger.

"I wanted to save the best for the last, but since you're so willing to die, I'll kill you first." Mikael said in his anger. Then, he hit Nik hard in the face, causing him to fell to the side.

"Stop it! Stop it!" I screamed at Mikael, but he ignored me. Nik looked over to me and pleaded me with his eyes to not do anything stupid.

"I've wanted to do this for ages, boy." Mikael growled as he stabbed his sword into my brother's heart. Nik gasped in pain and his eyes widened.

"NO! NIK! NOOO! NOOO!" I screamed at the top of my lungs as bitter tears streamed out of my eyes. Why? Why? Why? Why was Mikael doing this? I couldn't lose Nik… Of course we had our differences, but… he was still my family and one of the most important people in my life…

Nik looked over at me as he took his last breaths, while the dark blood rushed out of his chest, forming a big puddle of blood on the floor.

"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry… Nik… don't leave me… please… don't leave me… please…. please…" I sobbed. I wanted to crawl over to him, to hold his hand, to let him know that he was not alone… but I couldn't move. Then, he stopped breathing and his look went empty. Now, I started to sob even harder. Deep down I knew that now was the time to get up and try to flee… not for me, I had no desire to live anymore… but for my unborn child… for my baby…. But I just couldn't… I couldn't move.

"I'm so sorry, my love… so, so sorry…" I whispered to my baby.

"SHUT UP!" Mikael yelled angrily, before he stabbed his sword in my heart. I gasped. I felt a burning pain in my chest and lay completely on the ground as I felt how the wet blood rushed out of my chest. I could see Nik's pale corpse as I felt how I got weaker and weaker with every breath… then, I couldn't breathe anymore and my vision slowly went black…

That day, was not only the day my siblings and I died, it was the day I lost the thing I loved most in this world. It was the day I lost my baby, forever...

**-END OF FLASHBACK-**

* * *

I stood up and started to walk out of the room, when Jason was suddenly behind me. He grabbed my hand and pulled me back, so I was facing him. Then he kissed me. He placed one hand on my back and the other one on my neck. His lips felt so soft on mine. And I completely forgot about everything else around us. It was like we were the only person in this world. However, then a thought came to my mind. We were at our home, which meant that one of my brothers could show up any moment. I instantly pulled back and looked at Jason with a sorry look on my face. He looked confused. "I'm sorry… I can't. If Nik finds out he will kill you." I explained.

"I don't care about your brother. I wanted to do this for days, and it felt much better than I imagined." Jason said with a smile on his face.

I wanted to tell him that I liked it too, but then the front door was swung open and a moment later Nik entered the room. He threw a cautious look at the two of us. "What's going on?" he then asked. There was an angry undertone in his voice, which was easy to recognise after spending over a thousand years with him.

I knew why Nik was so overprotective of me, he just cared about me. I'm his only sister. But most of the time, his behaviour wasn't really helping.

"Nothing. I was just on the way to my room." I answered him, as innocently as I could, while leaving to my room.

* * *

**Authors Note****:**

**Hey Everyone, :)**

**Thank you so much for spending your precious time with reading this chapter. I'm so, so sorry for the delay, I'm doing my A levels and have a lot to do for school at the moment, which is why I couldn't update sooner and might not be able to update on every Friday as before. :(**

**A big thank you goes out to bwillard5, melinda2, isabelle, chairalltheway, yasmin12, starD, Katherine pierce, Rebekah lover, RebekahMikaelson and rebc! Reading your reviews makes me happy. :)**

**Small Information regarding my new OC Nashoba: Nashoba is an American Indian name and means wolf.**

**_PLEASE REVIEW AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!_**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer****: **

**The title of the story is taken from the song "Who you are" by "Jessie J".  
I do not own the mentioned song all rights belong to their rightful owners.  
Unfortunately, I do not own any of the characters nor do I own "the Originals" or "the Vampire Diaries" all rights belong to their rightful owners.**

* * *

**Chapter 7**

The next morning, I went into our antique white vintage kitchen to make my breakie. It was a beautiful morning in New Orleans, the warm sunrays of the morning sun shone through the antique windows and reflected playfully on my golden hair as they filled the room with life. I started with making some tea by using the worktop, as I got startled by someone tapping on my shoulder. I turned around quickly to discover that it was Jason.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you. I thought you heard me." Jason apologized.

"It's ok." I answered shortly, as I tried to slow down my increased heartbeat as well as breathing.

"So, you're a tea drinker, huh? I am more the coffee guy." Jason commented with a smile on his lips.

As I looked him in the eyes, I couldn't help but smile. Just looking at him made me feel happy. "My mother used to make us tea when I was a child. I enjoyed helping her with it, it gave me the opportunity to spend some time with her alone." I explained, without breaking the eye contact. Being one of six children had its disadvantages, such as having to share your mother.

"I'm sure you were a beautiful child." Jason said with a smile on his lips, while taking a view steps closer, until we were just centimetres away from each other, and I could feel his hot breath on my face. As I looked up at him, I couldn't help but notice how beautiful his brown eyes looked, as they were enlightened by the golden sunrays. In this light his eyes glowed in a more honey brown tone… I stared at him and just admired his beautiful eyes for a moment, while he stared back at me, too. I guessed that he was doing the same thing as I. I don't know how long we stood there, just looking into the others eyes. Then, without breaking the eye contact, Jason slowly raised his hand and lightly brushed a blonde strand of hair behind my ear. My skin prickled where his fingertips lightly touched my cheek, and I could feel how my heartbeat started to increase again. I wondered if he was listening to it… My skin prickled where Jason's hand rested on my jawline, right under my left ear, where he brushed away a strand of my hair less than a moment ago. Then, he slowly moved his head down, closer to mine until our lips could nearly touch. I closed my blue grey eyes and held my breath, before his sweet lips pressed against mine in a soft kiss… I've never felt a kiss like this one before… it felt so unique and familiar at the same time… as if our souls were connecting… providing that supernaturals have a soul. Eventually, Jason slowly pulled away from the kiss, as he started smiling down at me and making eye contact, again. I couldn't help but smile up at him too, while taking a deep breath.

"Wow, that was…" Jason whispered.

"Yes…" I answered in a whisper.

"Rebekah!" I got startled by the voice of my brother Klaus, shouting for me from the ground floor. I looked up at Jason in shock. Did Klaus find out? Will he kill Jason? Jason followed me as I hurried down the stairs to find my brothers standing at the entrance of the building. They didn't look really happy… But that didn't have to mean anything.

"What is it, brother?" I asked in an annoyed tone crossing my arms over my chest, as Jason and I stood at the bottom of the stairs. Perhaps this is about something else than Jason and me, which meant that if I pretend like nothing happened, they won't find out.

"The witches are planning a rebellion against us." Nik answered with a serious voice.

"What? Are you sure? Genevieve and Monique are dead. They have no leader. Now is the most inopportune time for them to make a move." I said shocked as I untangled my arms and let them drop to my sides. I never thought much of witches, but I knew that they are smart and strategic. Behaving like that didn't make any sense.

"I am sure, Marcel told me. A view weeks ago, I send him and some of his men off to spy on the witches." Klaus explained. So that was where Marcel had been all this time… not that I care since we broke up. "Elijah and I are going now, we'll show them what happens when you plot against our family." He added angrily.

That's Nik, most of the time he behaves like he doesn't care about us, but when things get serious, he would do anything for his family.

Elijah stepped forward and placed his hands on my shoulders as he looked me straight in the eye with a serious look on his face. "Sister, I need you to promise me that you will stay on the compound. I told the vampires on the compound that should anything happen to you, I'll kill every last one of them. You don't have to worry about your safety." Elijah told me in a very serious tone.

I knew this tone, it meant that what he said is not up for discussion, thus I didn't try to discuss about it. "I promise." I said honestly.

Elijah then nodded in response.

"Elijah?" I asked quietly.

"Yes?" he asked.

"Promise me that you'll be careful." I demanded quietly. "Both of you." I then added, as I looked over Elijah's shoulder at Nik. I don't know what I would do should anything happen to them. They're my family.

Nik nodded in response.

I then looked back at Elijah, whose facial expression softened. "I promise." He said in a soft tone with a small smile, before he placed a soft kiss on the top of my head and left together with Nik.

For a moment, I just stood there at the bottom of the stairs. I was staring at the front door, worrying about everything that could happen to them. Until I got pulled out of my thoughts by the ringing of Jason's smartphone. He pulled it out of his pocket and looked at it, it seemed as if he was reading a text message.

"Rebekah?" Jason asked as he took my delicate hand in his much larger one. The skin on my whole hand prickled, because of the contact.

I looked up at him before he went on and said "I have to go now, but I promise that I will be back soon."

"Where are you going?" I asked confused. What was so important that he had to leave right now?

"It's important. Please, Rebekah, you have to trust me." He told me, while his brown eyes looked deep into my blue ones.

I nodded in response before Jason left, through the front door my brothers had just left a view moments ago.

* * *

I spend the rest of the day upstairs in my room. It was evening by then, and I lay on my antique wooden bed while reading a book, as I heard a strange thud from downstairs. I looked up from my book and to my door as I knit my eyebrows together in confusion. What was that? Were that Nik's lackeys? I tried to hear anything else, but without my vampire super hearing it was no use. I couldn't hear anything from downstairs. I gasped in shock and jumped off my bed, as suddenly the door to my room flew open, causing a notch into the belonging wall by hitting it in the process. A mad looking stranger, covered in blood, entered the room and approached me.

"Stay away from me!" I shouted at him in fear, while withdrawing from him. I was shaking because of the adrenalin, and my heart beat as well as my breathing increased by the second. The stranger ignored my order and in the blink of an eye he was standing right in front of me, he grabbed me firmly by the upper arms and threw me across the room, causing me to hit the top of my antique commode in the process. I was lying on the hard dark laminate floor of my room, breathing heavily. I felt dizzy and my head was aching terribly, as well as my spine and my upper arms. My vision went blurry for a moment, and when I could see clearly again, my attacker was lying on top of me. His weight rested on my torso and made it even harder for me to breathe. His fangs were extending and his eyes turned black, while dark veins appeared underneath them. I panicked and looked to my right, where I saw a lamp lying on the floor together with some other things of mine, which were thrown of the commode when I hit it earlier. Without thinking, I instinctively grabbed the antique lamp and hit the side of my attackers head hard with it, causing him to fall to the side and curse in pain. I knew that I had not much time, so I immediately got off the floor and ran out of the room and into the corridor, while I could hear my attacker shouting angrily "Damn it! You're gonna regret this!"

As I ran panting through the in blood covered corridor and down the stairs, I saw some of Nik's lackeys lying on the floor, with their hearts ripped out of their chests and their heads separated from their bodies. However, I came to a halt and gasped in shock as I nearly reached the ground floor. Suddenly, the vampire who attacked me just seconds ago blocked my way on the middle of the stairs. He looked really pissed… He then backhanded my hard across my face, causing me to fall to the side, down onto the steps behind me.

"I told you, you're gonna regret it." He growled.

My eyes went watery as I looked down onto the steps and held my hand on my cheek where he hit me, it hurt terribly… He then grabbed me firmly by the upper arms again and pulled me up to him, I could feel his bad breath on my face as he growled "Klaus hurts our people, we hurt his." He then threw me down the rest of the stairs. I landed with my back on the hard ground of our ground floor. I felt sick and dizzy and my whole body hurt terribly, especially my head, my spine and one of my legs. My vision went blurry, until I felt how the vampire grabbed me firmly by the upper arms again and pushed me hard against the wall next to the front door. My head and my spine hurt even more as they hit the wall, and I screamed in pain.

"Please, let me go. Please. I promise I'll never tell anyone that it was you, who did all of this." I pleaded him desperately, as I was shaking and felt how my eyes went even more watery. "Please just let me go…" I added quietly, as I fought against my tears.

"No." he simply growled, before he dug his fangs deep into my neck and started to drain me of blood.

I stared into the distance as tears ran down my face, and I felt how I got weaker and weaker as life slowly left my body. I thought of Nik and Elijah, and of how much I would miss them... I thought of my long lost baby... and Kol... and Henrik... and wondered if I would see them on the other side…

* * *

**Authors Note****:**

**Hey Everyone, :)**

**Thank you so much for spending your precious time with reading this chapter. I'm so, so sorry for the hiatus, I have a lot to do with school at the moment and I probably won't be able to update the next chapter on Friday. Fortunately, I do have holiday next month, which means I'll hopefully have enough free time to write.**

**A really BIG THANK YOU goes out to bwillard5, BeautifulDisaster123 and all of my mystery reviewers! Thank you for not giving up on this story. I love reading your reviews! It makes me happy and motivates me to continue writing. :)**

**I hope you all liked this chapter.  
****I've done my part, now it's your turn.  
****You know what to do. ;)**

_***cough*please review*cough***_


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer****: **

**The title of the story is taken from the song "Who you are" by "Jessie J".  
I do not own the mentioned song all rights belong to their rightful owners.  
Unfortunately, I do not own any of the characters nor do I own "the Originals" or "the Vampire Diaries" or "iCarly" or "Grey's Anatomy" all rights belong to their rightful owners.  
Some of the dialogue and action are taken from and inspired by the iCarly episode "iThink They Kissed" (Season 3, Episode 1) and the Grey's Anatomy episode "What I Am" (Season 3, Episode 4).  
The character of doctor Aivery is inspired by the character of Doctor Jackson Avery (played by Jesse Williams) on Grey's Anatomy.**

* * *

**Chapter 8**

In this moment, I realised that _I was not ready_ to die. _I was not ready_ to leave my family behind. _I was not ready_ to let them get hurt because of me. I realised that _death_ is not the answer to my problems, and that it is no effective way to avoid them. _I_ am the source of my problems. _I_ am the one who did not value the gift of life. And _I_ am the one who has the power to _change something_.

My survival instinct kicked in, and I tried to push the vampire off me with all the power I had left, but it was no use. Suddenly, in the blink of an eye, the vampire was thrown against the far wall and was being held up by his neck and choked by another figure with dark hair. I couldn't really see who it was, because of my blurry vision. I don't know much of what happened next, just how I fell to the floor and how, suddenly, another figure with blond hair pressed its hand on the bleeding wound on my neck. I heard voices, but I only heard fragments of what they were saying…

"WHO ARE Y-… WHO SEND-… TELL-… OR I SWEAR-" shouted an angry voice.

"NO- … AHHHH-… MERC-… PLEA-… AHHHHHHHHHHH-…" screamed another voice, it sounded like the owner of the voice was in great pain…

"… Bekah, you're gonna be alright-… I am-… plea-… stay-… pleas-… Bek-…" said another desperate, shaky voice, right next to me.

The next thing I remember was a total, swallowing darkness…

* * *

**Authorial narrator's POV**

Rebekah was lying in the same expensive hospital sweet, in which she lay at her last hospital stay. Klaus and Elijah had been waiting for hours on information, while the doctors were operating on their little sister in the operating theatre. Every time they asked a nurse about her status, they asked them to be patient and told them to wait for the doctor. She was still asleep, because of the anaesthesia, as they were finally allowed to see her. She was lying in a hospital bed with a lot of machines around her and a tube in her mouth, a bandage on the left side of her neck, the needle of an infusion in her arm and a large knee high gypsum on her right leg. Her siblings immediately felt very worried and frighten, as they saw her. They had no idea how bad it was and no one was telling them anything.

Niklaus immediately rushed to her side and stroked with his hand over her head, while he whispered with watery eyes "I'm so sorry, sister. This is my fault." He felt guilty about what happened, because _he_ was the one who left her. _He_ left his little sister alone. _He_ wasn't there to protect her, when she needed him. And now… he has no idea if she will ever wake up…

Elijah took to shares and placed them next to the bed, before they sat down. He then looked at his younger brother, stroked his upper back and said "It is not your fault, brother." He tried to hide his worriedness as good as he could, but failed miserably. He started to hold his sisters hand as he looked on the ground. He, too, felt guilty about what happened to their dear little sister… _He_ was the eldest. _He_ was supposed to protect his younger siblings. And _he_ failed at his task…

"I'm finding that bloody doctor." Niklaus said angrily before he jumped up from his seat.

"Niklaus, calm down. I want to know about our sister's status as much as you, but we have to be patient. Threatening the staff won't help." Elijah said sternly as he rose from his seat, and placed his hand on his younger brother's shoulder in an attempt to stop him from leaving.

"Perhaps, but compelling them will." Klaus retorted stubbornly.

As the hybrid was about to storm out of the room, he heard how his little sister started to gag on the tube in her throat. "Rebekah" he said worried as he rushed to her side.

"Nurse!" Elijah shouted, he didn't know what was going on.

An African-American man with bright blue eyes, who was wearing indigo-blue hospital clothes and a doctor's overall rushed into the room.

"What's wrong with her?" the hybrid asked worriedly.

The man didn't answer; instead he pulled the tube carefully out of Rebekah's throat, before he took a look at one of the monitors. "She's awake. Her oxygen level is 98, she doesn't need the intubation anymore." The doctor answered confidently.

"So you're her doctor?" Klaus asked reproachful, while Elijah wondered why his sister was grinning wieldy like a child at the doctor.

"Doctor Aivery, nice to meet you, Sir." Doctor Aivery said with a smile as he offered his extended hand to Klaus.

"We've been waiting on you for hours!" Klaus exclaimed angrily, while it looked like Rebekah was trying to hold back a laugh.

"I'm sorry, Sir, I had an emergency. Thank you for your patience." The doctor answered calmly.

Elijah threw another confused look at his little sister, before he turned to the doctor and asked "How bad is it?"

The doctor took a look on his tablet and said "Well let's see, she's got a concussion and multiple bruises. Her common carotid artery had been torn, which caused a lot of blood lost, thus we had to fix the artery and make a blood transfusion. One of her ribs had been fractured, which we also fixed and bandaged up, and she's got a knee high gypsum because of a closed middle tibia shaft fracture, which we also fixed. If the healing process is good, she'll soon get another kind of gypsum with which she can also walk. Fortunately, there won't be any scars left." "How did that happen again?" the doctor asked pretending to be confused.

Klaus and Elijah exchanged a look, before Elijah lied easily "She fell from the stairs."

"Ah, so it was an accident?" the doctor asked while rising his eyebrows.

"Yes." Elijah answered with a polite smile on his lips, while he slightly felt like he was being interrogated.

"And she is 17?" the doctor asked.

"Yes." Elijah said again, feeling like the doctor was building up to something.

"And this is her second hospital stay in this month, because of an _accident_?" the doctor asked.

Elijah was about to answer when Klaus interrupted him and said angrily "We didn't push her, if that's what you're suggesting."

"I'm sorry, Sir. I'm just doing my job." The doctor answered, while raising his hand in a gesture that asked the hybrid to calm down.

Klaus was about to retort something, when Rebekah couldn't hold back her laugh and started to giggle, while she looked at the doctor.

"What is it?" Klaus asked her annoyed.

Rebekah pointed at the doctor and said "You're eyes are pretty" and continued to giggle like a child while fumbling with her hand over her mouth.

"What's wrong with her?" Elijah asked the doctor, after he threw a confused look at his sister.

"Oh, she's getting morphine because of the pain. She'll behave loopy for a while." The doctor answered.

"She's high?" Klaus asked confused.

"Yes, Sir. High like a Space Shuttle." The doctor answered with a wide grin, "Enjoy your trip Miss. Mikaelson." He added before he left the room.

* * *

"So… how are you feeling, sister?" Klaus asked Rebekah as he sat down on the chair beside her bed. He was feeling a bit awkward. He wasn't used to seeing his sister behaving like this.

"I feel goooodyyyy!" Rebekah cheered, while she spread out her arms. Then she looked over to Elijah, who was now standing near the door. "'Lijahhh!" she exclaimed happily, "Come here." She said with a wide grin, while gesturing with her hand for him to come closer. Elijah did as he was asked and approached the bed, while feeling very awkward because of his sister's childish behaviour.

"Come here." She said again in a very amused tone.

"I am here." Elijah said with a small grin on his face.

"Hi." Rebekah said in a foolish tone.

"You certainly are, aren't you?" Elijah said with a grin while shaking his head.

Niklaus couldn't help, but smile at his sister's childish behaviour. A moment later his phone rang and one of his spies told him that his presence was required.

"Niiiiki! Nikiiiii" Rebekah called for her brother as he was about to leave the room.

"What is it, sister?" the hybrid asked, after he rolled his eyes and turned around.

"Hi" Rebekah said with a foolish grin on her lips.

Klaus sighed while he rolled his eyes again, and turned around to leave, but his high sister interrupted him again.

"Niiiki! Nikiiii!" she called for him.

"Yes?" the annoyed hybrid asked, after he turned to face her again, and let out another sigh. Although, he felt guilty about what happened to Rebekah, his injured sister seemed to enjoy her trip, and he really had no time for this. The witches were making trouble again, and he had to go back to the quarter and deal with the problem.

Rebekah giggled like a child, before she said confusedly "Ehhhhh… What was it that I wanted to say?"

"Rebekah." Klaus said angrily, as he lost his patience.

"Oh, right!" Rebekah said loudly, while she raised her arm and pointed with her finger to the ceiling, as if she's having an idea. "Hi" she said again, with a foolish grin on her lips, while Elijah who sad now on one of the chairs beside her bed, just amusedly shook his head, while he was reading a book.

Klaus sighed angrily in response and left abruptly.

"Love youuuu" Rebekah called after her big brother.

* * *

Rebekah started to giggle childishly again, and as much as Elijah wished to follow his younger brother, he just couldn't defeat the feeling of responsibility that told him to not leave his baby sister alone again. Suddenly, Rebekah stopped laughing and stared at Elijah intensively.

Elijah, who started to feel disturbed by her starring, eventually sighed and asked "What is it, sister?"

Rebekah starred intensively at his dark blue suit jacket, before she reached her hand out and stroke over the material. "It's glooowing…" she murmured astonished.

Elijah, who felt quiet uncomfortable, put his book down and took her delicate hand in his much larger ones and said "Of course, I'm sure it is." as he gently moved them away from him.

Rebekah, however started to stroke with her hand over the fine material again. "… sooo bright…" she murmured, while staring intensively at the jacket.

Elijah let out a sigh, as he again took her hands off his jacket and moved them away from him.

"'Liiiijah. Lijahhh." Rebekah said slowly.

"Yes?" the elder one asked, trying to keep his patience.

"I want to tell youuuuu… ehhh…Secret!" Rebekah said childishly.

Elijah, didn't say anything, he was unsure if he really wanted to hear what his little sister was going to tell him.

"Come here. Come here." Rebekah beckoned her elder brother, who was sitting right beside her, with a wide childish grin on her face.

"I am here." Elijah said.

"Come here. Come here." The blonde beckoned him again, before he moved his head closer to hers, in the hope that she would finally stop. But she just started to giggle childishly again. Elijah just sighed, before he leaned back on his share, annoyed by her behaviour.

"Come here. Come here." The girl beckoned him again, with a wide childish grin on her face.

Elijah looked at his awkward behaving little sister for a moment, and thought of just leaving, before he eventually decided that it would be the easiest to do as she demanded.

"Youuu know that boy… Jason?" Rebekah whispered into his ear childishly, as he bend forward to hear what she was about to say.

"Yes, I know Jason." Elijah said confused. What was the secret?

"We kissed." His little sister whispered, before she started to giggle childishly again.

"What?" Elijah asked shocked. Was she telling the truth or was she just being loopy again?

"Me and Jason, we kissed." Rebekah whispered again, while playing with her golden hair.

"You kissed?" Elijah asked reproachfully. Elijah just stared at her and shook his head. He trusted Jason. He took him into their home, in the belief that Jason was a professional. He was supposed to help his little sister not to user her! Although, unlike his younger brother Niklaus, Elijah usually preferred to not interfere in his sister's love life, he decided that he would have a talk with Jason as soon as possible.

"Pssssssst, don't tell 'Lijah." Rebekah said while she placed her finger on Elijah's lips and continued her giggling.

* * *

An hour later, Elijah had left to get his sister some stuff from at home, after he called Marcel to look after her.

"So, your doctor put you on morphine, huh? I remember a time you just couldn't get enough of that stuff." Marcel said with a grin, as he sat on the chair next to Rebekah's bed.

"Marceeel! You're here, yayyy" Rebekah said foolishly, while spreading out her arms.

Actually, Marcel hoped he could talk to Rebekah… He couldn't get her off his mind for the last view weeks. He realized that breaking up with her, was a mistake and he actually planned to fix this one… but talking about their feelings with Rebekah in this state, was not an option. Marcel let out a sad sigh and leaned back on his chair, while he just admired the beautiful, but also loopy blonde in front of him.

In that moment, Jason rushed through the door and to the other side of Rebekah's bed, with a bundle of red roses in his hand. "Rebekah, I just heard what happened. I'm so sorry… I shouldn't have left. How are you feeling?" He asked worriedly, as he took her delicate hand in his and placed a soft kiss on it, while the blonde just looked up at him and tried to hold back a laugh.

"Goodyyyy" Rebekah answered foolishly, while she stared up at him.

"And who are you?" Marcel asked Jason intimidating, as he rose up from his seat and threw a lethal look at Jason from the opposite side of the bed.

"Jason, and who are you?" Jason asked the other male, while he threw the same lethal look back at Marcel.

"Marcel Gerard." Marcel answered slowly and intimidatingly.

However, the message seemed to not have reached Jason as he said "Oh, that Marcel. I've heard a lot about you, aren't you her _Ex_?"

"Not for long." Marcel answered slowly, trying to not show his anger about his ex-girlfriends new love interest.

Rebekah just looked up at both of them in turn, while smirking like a child from one ear to another. Then she said "You're both really good kissers." While she played with her hair and Marcel and Jason just continued to throw lethal glares at one another.

In that moment, Elijah returned with a bag in his hand. As soon as he saw who was visiting his little sister, he knew that he was walking straight into a war zone. He stopped in front of the opened door and thought about coming back later… although he wanted to have a little talk with Jason, now might not be the right time… However the choice was taken away from him, when his little sister spotted him and called happily "'Lijahhh! Look, all my boyfriends are here!" while she spread out her arms childishly.

"My thump… it's gone… it was right there just a second ago…" the blonde murmured astonished, as she looked down at her right hand, which was curled up into a fist, while she stroked over it with her other one.

Elijah immediately noticed the tension between Marcel and Jason as he entered the room. He shook his head and let out a loud sigh, of course he was the one to clean up his sister's mess. "Thank you for your visit, gentlemen. But I think my sister needs to rest now." He said politely, while he walked over to his sister's bed and opened the fist she was making with her hand, showing her, her lost thumb.

"There you are…" Rebekah said astonished, while examining her thumb.

Marcel and Jason stared at each other for a moment longer, before Jason turned to the blonde and said with a soft smile "Call me, if you need anything." Before he left the room.

"Call me first." Marcel said with a likeable smile, before he stroked with his hand over her delicate jawbone and left.

Elijah just sat down on one of the chairs beside his sister's bed, leaned back and propped his hand up on his forehead, while letting out a loud sigh. "I'm gone for just one hour and you're already making a chaos, sister." He said exhaustedly, while shaking his head.

Rebekah just stared at him intensely, while she was grinning childishly. Then she said "Love youuu"

Elijah sighed and said exhaustedly "Yes, I love you too, sister."

**End of authorial narrator's POV**

* * *

**Authors Note****:**

**So here it is the next chapter, I'm so sorry for the delay. Please let me know what you think of it, because I have honestly no idea what to think of it…**

**A BIG thank you goes out to san123 and my kind sister Jade1511. Reading your reviews really motivates me and sweetens my day. :)**

**As always: ****_PLEASE REVIEW!_**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer****: **

**The title of the story is taken from the song "Who you are" by "Jessie J".  
I do not own the mentioned song all rights belong to their rightful owners.  
Unfortunately, I do not own any of the characters nor do I own "the Originals" or "the Vampire Diaries" or "Grey's Anatomy" all rights belong to their rightful owners.  
The character of Doctor Aivery is inspired by the character of Doctor Jackson Avery (played by Jesse Williams) on Grey's Anatomy.**

* * *

**Chapter 9**

**Rebekah's POV**

It was midday; the warm, bright Louisiana sun was shining through the great panorama windows of my hospital suite, as I was lying on my bed, while I was reading a book that Haley gave me. It's been a view weeks since I got admitted into hospital. I was no longer on morphine, and got other less intensive pain killers. I had honestly no idea what happened during the last view weeks… But, I knew that I got a new gypsum, because my doctor told me so, and I couldn't wait until I was allowed to try to walk on it. I also know that I had a lot of visitors, because the nurses told me so.

"Miss. Mikaelson, how is my favourite patient today?" Doctor Aivery asked, as he walked into the room with a charming smile on his lips.

"Bored." I simply answered.

"I see… and how are you doing with your new painkillers?" he asked.

"Good." I simply answered, although I liked Doctor Aivery I was to depressed because of having to stay in bed all day, to get infected with his good mood.

"OK. So, your common carotid artery seems to be healed completely, which is why one of the nurses took off the bandage earlier. The skin at your neck might stay a bit red for a view days. Your rip is healing well, as well as your tibia, which is why we gave you another kind of gypsum, as you may have already noticed. That black gypsum allows you to walk, without injuring the tibia, but you have to prop up your leg as often as possible. I see no reason why I shouldn't discharge you." Doctor Aivery said, while he was looking at his tablet. "Do you have any questions, Miss. Mikaelson?" he asked, as he looked up from his tablet.

"So, I am allowed to walk now?" I asked impatiently, I wanted to finally get out of this damn bed.

"Yes, you are. But take it slowly, ok?" Doctor Aivery said as he helped me to stand up.

I carefully took a step forward with my broken leg, while doctor Aivery held me at my arm in case I would fell down. The first step hurt and the next one too, but after a view steps it didn't hurt so much anymore. I was proud of myself to say the least.

Doctor Aivery's pager began to ring and he looked at it, before he said "I have to go now. Remember, take it slowly, ok? I'm gonna fill out your discharging papers and tell the nurse to call your family. And just in case I didn't mention it, no driving, until the gypsum is gone and you're off your pain meds."

I nodded, before he smiled and left.

In that moment, I realized that I was going to be home soon. I couldn't wait until I could finally be back home. I missed it. I missed my room. I missed my things. I missed it to sleep in my bed. I even missed the disgusting smell of paint, when Nick had just been drawing … I just missed the warm, soft, familiar feeling of home…

* * *

An hour later, I was finally back home. I was leaning against the armrest of one of our antique leather couches in our lounge with my legs resting on the sofa cushion, while I was enjoying the warm silence of home. In that moment, I heard how someone entered the room and looked to one of the doors to discover it was Jason.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" He asked softly, as he walked over to me and sat on the coffee table in front of the sofa.

"I'm fine." I said with a small smile on my lips, as I admired his beautiful brown eyes.

It seemed like he was doing the same thing as I before he said, "I think there's something you should now…"

"What is it?" I asked concerned.

"Elijah knows." He answered.

"Elijah knows what?" I asked confusedly. What did he mean?

"About us, you and me. He came to me a view weeks ago, and he was not amused. But don't worry, I managed to convince him that I could never hurt you." he explained slowly. Then, he looked deep into my eyes for a moment, before he said "Look, Rebekah, … I don't know how much you remember from the time you were on morphine, so I want to make sure that you know this." He said as he pulled a small black box out of his pocket and placed it in my hands. "I'm sorry, Rebekah. I'm so sorry for what happened to you… I shouldn't have left that evening… this is my fault." He said honestly as he looked to the ground.

"No, it's not." I said softly, before I placed my hand on his cheek and looked deep into his chocolate brown eyes, "It's not your fault Jason, you couldn't have known, no one could have. And I'm glad that you weren't there that evening, because if you would have been there you could be dead now, like all of those other vampires. And I can't lose you… I can't…" I whispered at the end before I kissed him softly.

He leaned forward until he was lying above me on the couch, while he deepened the kiss. I could feel how my heartbeat and my breathing started to accelerate as he placed his hands on my waist and hip, while he started to leave hot kisses on my delicate neck, as I dug my fingers into his soft brown hair. In the blink of an eye, I was lifted off the couch and found myself falling onto Jason's bed, with him on top of me. He smiled down at me, before he kissed me fiercely again, while I wrapped my arms around his neck.

I felt his hot breath on my face as he asked "Are you sure you wanna do this?"

"Yes." I answered in a whisper, as I looked deep into his eyes, before I kissed him again.

* * *

**Authors Note****:**

**Hey Everyone, :)**

**I'm sorry for the shortness of the chapter, but I hope you liked it anyway.**

**A BIG thank you goes out to BeautifulDisaster123, san123 and bwillard5! You really motivate me into writing. :)**

**As always:**_** PLEASE REVIEW and let me know what you think of Jabekah (Jason &amp; Rebekah)!**_


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer****: **

**The title of the story is taken from the song "Who you are" by "Jessie J".  
****I do not own the mentioned song all rights belong to their rightful owners.  
****Unfortunately, I do not own any of the characters nor do I own "the Originals" or "the Vampire Diaries" all rights belong to their rightful owners.**

* * *

**Chapter 10**

I was lying in Jason's strong arms, with my head resting on his chest, while I wrapped my arms around his torso, as I awoke the next morning. The warm morning sun shone through the window, while the bright sunrays were tickling on my face. I looked up to see that Jason was already awake and staring down at me.

"Good morning sleepy head." He said with a deep sexy voice.

"Are you one of those creeps that watch women while they're sleeping?" I asked him jokingly.

"Only when they're as beautiful as you." He murmured into my ear with a smile on his lips.

I tried to hide my own smile, before I turned my head to admire the reflection of the sunrays in his beautiful brown eyes. I could admire it all day… a moment later I kissed him softly.

"I made breakfast." Jason said with a charming smile, as he pointed with his head to the tray on the nightstand next to the bed. There were two mugs on it, as well as a plate with waffles, syrup and a bowl filled with strawberries.

"When did you have time to make breakfast?" I asked him with a smile on my lips.

"Well… you have a deep sleep, you know?" Jason answered teasingly.

I just raised my eyebrows in response, before Jason took the two mugs on the tray and handed one over to me. I looked at the liquid inside, and wondered what it was. It looked a bit like coffee, but didn't really smell like coffee. I looked over to Jason, who already took a sip of the liquid and decided to try it as well. I couldn't really describe the taste, but it was delicious. "mmmmhh… this is good, what is this?" I asked him curiously.

"Coffee and tea." Jason simply answered.

"Coffee and tea?" I asked confusedly.

"Yes, a wise old friend of mine taught me how to make it, as I lived in India. To be honest, I was really sceptic at first too, but it's really good." Jason said with a smile, "He called his creation "meant to be"." He added.

"Meant to be?" I asked him mockingly.

"Yeah, just like you and me." He said, while he looked deep into my eyes, before he softly kissed me.

"I like that…" I murmured, before I kissed him again.

In that moment, Jason's smart phone rang. He looked at the screen, sighed and said "I'm sorry, just a moment." before he quickly kissed me, jumped into a pair of Jeans and left the room.

I felt a bit rejected… who was so important that he had to talk to now? I didn't want to spy on Jason, but I also wanted to know what was going on. Was that the same person, who called Jason at the night the vampire attacked me? Was Jason in trouble? I climbed off the bed, wrapped one of the bed sheets around myself and went to the bedroom door, to see if I could hear anything.

_"__No, I won't do this anymore."_

_"__Because you didn't tell me that he would hurt her!"_

_"__No, I'm done. The Mikaelsons don't deserve this. You can find yourself another spy."_

I took a view steps back as tears filled my eyes. I was shocked. I couldn't believe what I was hearing… Jason-…. he-…. he used me. All this time, he was just playing me to get information about my family… All he did was betray me… I meant nothing to him… _nothing_. I gave him my heart and he broke it…

The bedroom door opened and Jason came in. He looked at me and judging by his face, he immediately knew that I heard what he said. "Rebekah-… This isn't what you think it is." he started hectically.

"You used me!" I exclaimed bitterly, as I fought against the tears that threatened to fall out of my eyes.

"Yes, I did. But only at the beginning, I didn't know you. I didn't know what a wonderful person you are, and as soon as I found out, I decided to quit." he explained hectically, before he approached me and said honestly "Because I love you, Rebekah Mikaelson." "I love you." he repeated, while he took my hands in his.

I pulled my shaking hands away and shook my head, while I hissed bitterly "Don't touch me." before I turned to storm out of the room.

But before I could make it to the door, Jason grabbed me by the shoulders and turned me around to face him. "Please, Rebekah, I'm sorry."

I pushed him away, before I hissed "Stay the bloody hell away from me!" and stormed out of the room, unfortunately not as fast as I planned to, because of the annoying gypsum at my leg.

I rushed down the hall and up the stairs to my room, while tears streamed down my face. But, before I could open the door to my room, I heard the flowing of water again. I looked around and saw how water rushed into the corridor. There was more and more water streaming into the corridor. As it reached my knees, I started to feel dizzy and coughed up water myself. I fell to my knees, I tried to breathe, but there was no air coming into my lungs. It was like they were filled with water. I panicked. What was happening to me? It was like I was drowning all over again…

"Hey, are you all right?" a worried voice asked, as I felt someone's hand on my shoulder. Suddenly, everything was back to normal. I could breathe again and there was no indication that this corridor was filled with water just seconds ago.

I looked up to see Marcel looking down at me worriedly. "Yes. I'm-… I'm fine." I said as convincingly as I could, as he helped me off the ground.

"You don't look fine." Marcel objected.

"I'm fine, Marcel." I said after I wiped off my tears.

"Rebekah, what's going on?" he asked.

"Nothing. I'm fine." I lied again.

"I see… so bed sheets are the new fashion now?" Marcel asked jokingly.

I looked down at myself. Damn it. I was wearing nothing, but Jason's bed sheets. I looked up at Marcel and said as neutral as I could "Jason isn't here to help. He came here to spy on us."

"What?" Marcel asked angrily.

"He used me so he could stay here and get information about our family…" I explained with a shaky voice, while I felt how my eyes went watery again.

"I'm sorry…" Marcel said as he hugged me.

I buried my face in his chest and started to sob quietly. I was so stupid to trust Jason, a person that I barely knew…

"I'm gonna kill that guy." Marcel murmured determined, more to himself than to me, while he stroked with his hand over my back.

"No." I whispered as I looked up at Marcel, with my damp face and slightly red eyes from crying. "Make me forget him." I whispered before I kissed Marcel.

The vampire pulled back and said "Rebekah, I-… You don't wanna do this, not really."

"I want to." I said before I kissed him again. Then I looked deep into his eyes and said "Please, Marcel, make me forget him."

Marcel looked into my eyes for a moment. Then he kissed me intensively, as he lifted me up, while I wrapped my legs around his hips. I wrapped my arms around his neck, as we kissed, while he placed one hand on my back and opened the door to my room with the other. He stepped inside and closed the door behind us.

* * *

It was evening as I lay with Marcel in my bed, and realized what a mistake I just made. Being with Marcel didn't make me forget Jason. I still felt terrible. But the difference is that now, I did not only feel terrible about what Jason did to me, I also felt bad. Bad because I had tried so hard to get over Marcel since we broke up, and now we just had sex.

"You have to leave." I told Marcel calmly, without even looking at him.

"What? I understand…" Marcel said confusedly.

"I'm sorry Marcel. This was a mistake…" I tried to explain, as I finally looked at him.

"Rebekah, I-" Marcel started, before I interrupted him.

"Marcel, go please." I pleaded him.

He then nodded, got up, got dressed and walked to the door. He threw one last look back at me, before he left and carefully closed the door behind him.

A bit later, I got up and changed my bed sheets, before I went to take a shower in my bathroom, which was attached to my bedroom. I just wanted to wash off all the guilt and sadness I was feeling. However, it didn't go like I planned as I suddenly started to sink down on my knees and cry. I just couldn't hold it together anymore… When I nearly died a view weeks ago, I decided to _change something_. But every decision that I'm making turns out to be a mistake… How can I trust myself when everything I do is wrong? How am I supposed to trust others when I can't even trust myself? I mess up everything… I feel like there is no one I can rely on… For a while, I just kneeled there on the floor of my shower, sobbing my heart out.

Then, I tried to pull myself together as good as I could and finished my shower, put on a pair of black PJ shorts and a grey top, and brushed my teeth, before I went to bed.

* * *

_I gasped in shock and jumped off my bed, as suddenly the door to my room flew open, causing a notch into the belonging wall by hitting it in the process. A mad looking stranger, covered in blood, entered the room and approached me._

_"__Stay away from me!" I shouted at him in fear, while withdrawing from him. I was shaking because of the adrenalin, and my heart beat as well as my breathing increased by the second. The stranger ignored my order and in the blink of an eye he was standing right in front of me, he grabbed me firmly by the upper arms and threw me across the room, causing me to hit the top of my antique commode in the process. I was lying on the hard dark laminate floor of my room, breathing heavily. I felt dizzy and my head was aching terribly, as well as my spine and my upper arms. My vision went blurry for a moment, and when I could see clearly again, my attacker was lying on top of me. His weight rested on my torso and made it even harder for me to breathe. His fangs were extending and his eyes turned black, while dark veins appeared underneath them…_

I woke up in my bed, my heart was racing and I was breathing heavily. I sad up and looked at my surroundings. I was alone. I was in my room. It was dark and in the middle of the night. I could hear the aggressive pattering of rain against my windows, combined with the loud soughing of wind. It was storming outside… I lay back down on my soft pillow and tried to sleep again. But every time closed my eyes, I saw the vampire who tried to kill me… I knew that he wasn't here and that he's probably dead, but…. remembering what happened made me feel scared… especially because it all started in this very room…

I rolled in my bed from side to side, for a while, desperately trying to get back to sleep without the picture of my attacker in my mind, but it didn't work… It was like he was haunting me…

Suddenly, the room was filled with bright light for a second, before I got startled by the loud rumbling of thunder, which followed. I was scared of storms, since I was a child, but it got easier when I got older. When I was little, Nik used to climb into my bed and hold me until the storm was over, while he told me how he would never let anything hurt me…

However, right now I couldn't get my attacker and what he did to me in here out of my mind, and the storm wasn't helping…

I flinched as suddenly the room got filled with bright light again, before the loud rumbling of thunder followed. This time it was even louder than before… and the distance between lightning and thunder was much shorter… I got up and went slowly and quietly out of my room, to make sure to not wake anyone. I silently walked to the end of the corridor and came to a halt in front of Nik's bedroom door. I could still hear the raging storm outside…

I hesitated as I was about to knock on the door. I didn't want to wake him… but I also couldn't go back to my room… Eventually, I gently knocked on the door and opened it a bit, to see if he was even at home. The room was dark, but I could see him lying in his bed, with his back turned to the door. I stepped into the dark room and closed the door behind me. In this moment, I noticed that the storm was audible in here too…

"Nik…" I called lowly.

There was no response…

"Nik…" I called again, but this time a bit louder.

"What is it, Bekah?" he asked with a tired and hoarse voice, without turning around.

"I can't sleep." I whispered.

"Then go back to your room." he mumbled.

"I can't." I whispered back.

"And why can't you go back to your room?" my brother mumbled annoyed.

I was silent for a moment. "… I had a terrible day… and every time I try to close my eyes and sleep- … I see the vampire, who tried to kill me, and remember what happened… he's haunting me…" I said with a shaky voice, as I tried to not cry again.

He turned around and looked at me. I could see it in his eyes… he was feeling guilty for what happened to me a view weeks ago, although it was not his fault. He scooted to the side and lifted the blanket with his hand. I walked over to the bed and lay down beside him.

"Shhhh, he's not haunting you, love." he said, as he held me in his arms.

"How do you know that?" asked him with a still shaky voice.

"Because, I know." he whispered convincingly. He then placed a soft kiss on the top of my head and said "Sleep now, sweetheart. You're save, big brother is here."

I looked up at him, as he gently smiled at me, before I closed my eyes and peacefully drifted off to sleep. And this time, I was not bothered by the storm, and did not see the vampire, who tried to kill me, and what he did to me. I just enjoyed and relaxed in the warm and safe feeling of shelter provided by my brother.

* * *

**Authors Note****:**

**Awww…. aren't they the cutest? I love their sibling relationship!**

**A BIG thank you goes out to the talented san123! I love reading your reviews! :)**

**As always: ****_Please review and let me know what you think of the chapter!_**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer****:**

**The title of the story is taken from the song "Who you are" by "Jessie J".  
****I do not own the mentioned song all rights belong to their rightful owners.  
****Unfortunately, I do not own any of the characters nor do I own "the Originals" or "the Vampire Diaries" all rights belong to their rightful owners.**

* * *

**Chapter 11**

I awoke alone in the next morning. I went to my room and made myself ready for the day, before I carefully went down the stairs with my gypsum. I looked over to our dining room and saw Nik having breakie all alone. Normally, I would not participate in our family's meals, mostly because I never feel really hungry and thus usually don't eat very much and because I hate listening to my brothers telling me that I should really eat more. But as I looked at the antique table covered with fruits of all kinds, jams, bagels and other pastries, I decided to have breakfast with my brother.

"Good morning, Nick." I greeted him casually, as I walked into the large dining room and took a seat across from him, at the other end of our long dining table.

"Ah, sister, you're finally awake." He answered, while he bit into the wrist of a compelled servant and held it above his glass, letting her dark blood drip into it.

I felt a bit of sick in my stomach, as I saw the servant's blood dripping into the glass, I just didn't know why? In the past I drained more people of blood than I can count and it never bothered me the slightest bit. But now it was different… after I got nearly drained of blood by a creepy vampire myself, I knew how she must feel right now… I felt sympathy for the poor girl…

"Is everything alright?" Klaus asked slightly confused, as he looked over to me and saw my presumably sorrow-stricken expression.

"Everything's fine." I lied with a fake smile on my face, as I reached for the teapot and poured myself a cup of tea.

"Go and bandage that up." Klaus compelled the servant, after his glass was filled with her blood.

I looked over at the poor girl as she left, before I took another glance around the table and noticed that something was different… Elijah was missing. It was not usual for Elijah to miss a meal. I took a sip of my tea, before I placed the cup back on its china coaster on the table and asked casually "Where is Elijah?"

"Our brother decided to visit his beloved in the bayou." Klaus answered calmly, before he took a sip of the red liquid in his glass.

But I knew my brother well enough to detect the hidden hint of anger and frustration in his voice. Although Niklaus didn't love Hayley, the werewolf girl was carrying his child, which is why my possessive hybrid brother considered her as his. And Niklaus never liked it to share. Not even with Elijah.

I decided to better not say anything. I wasn't in the mood of discussing over Hayley's and Elijah's relationship. Instead I ate a view grapes, as Nik's phone started to ring.

"Hello?" He asked, after he picked it up.

"What is it Hayley?" he asked annoyed.

"What?!" my brother exclaimed in a mixture of shock and anger.

"Stay where you are, I'm coming." Nik said determinedly, before he hung up and stormed out of the dining room and straight to the entrance.

I immediately jumped up from my seat and hurried after him to the entrance, which caused great pain in my broken shinbone. But I bit my teeth together and continued to follow him anyway. "Nik! Wait! What happened?" I asked him worriedly.

"Elijah. He suddenly fell sick, he's in great pain. I have to help him." Klaus explained hurriedly, before he grabbed the doorknob, opened the front door and said "You stay here. I call Marcel on the way and tell him to keep an eye on you."

He was about to leave as I shut the door in front of his nose and argued "No! Elijah is my brother too. He needs help. I'm coming with you."

I knew Klaus was trying to intimidate me, as he took a step closer. Our faces were nearly touching and I could feel his breath on my face, while he glared down at me with his most angry and determined look. But this time I would not be intimidated by my brother. Instead, I glared up at him, with my most angry and determined look. We just stood there gazing into each other's eyes. Neither one of us wanting to step down.

After a moment, Klaus sighed in frustration and said "Fine. But do not leave my side." before he swung the door open and pulled me at my forearm to his car.

* * *

As we arrived in the bayou, we got out of the car and hurried to the camp of the werewolf's, where Hayley has told Nick to go. He was walking a few feet ahead, while I was hurrying after him. As we reached Hayley's hut, Nik stormed through the door without bothering to knock first. Closely after him, I was the next one to rush into the little hut.

"Oh my god, Elijah…" I said in a mixture of worry and shock, as I saw my delusional eldest brother lying on a small wooden bed, spluttering incoherent sentences while his hair clung to his sweaty forehead. His breathing was increased and he seemed to be in great pain…

I couldn't move… I just stood there in both angst and shock, as I stared at my eldest brother…

"Hayley, who did this to him?" Nik asked the mother of his child worriedly, as he hurried over to our sweating shirtless brother.

"I don't know. We were just talking and then he suddenly fell to ground screaming in pain." Hayley explained, as she dabbed a damp cloth on his forehead.

"The witches?" I asked Nick, as I finally got over my shock.

"Probably." He answered angrily, before he bent down and lifted our brother up into his arms. "We have to bring him back home." he stated, before he carried our brother out the door with ease.

I was about to leave too, as I turned around and saw Hayley still standing in the hut. "Aren't you coming with us?" I asked confusedly.

"I can't. Jackson has gone missing, I have to find him." The pregnant werewolf explained.

"Who cares about that bloody alpha!? I thought you were team Haylijah, and Elijah needs you, now." I exclaimed angrily.

"Elijah has got you! Jackson has got no one! Rebekah, I have to find him." Hayley answered angrily.

I could see that she was worried about Jackson… But I thought she loved Elijah! She should worry over him and help him, instead of running off and searching for that werewolf idiot!

I wanted to retort something, but before I could Hayley stormed to the door. Luckily, I was standing in the door and could easily block her way.

"Rebekah, you are my friend and I like you. But if you don't step aside, I will hurt you." Hayley threatened with a serious expression on her face.

"You told me once that you've always wanted a family. But now that I see how less you care about your family, the uncle of your child, I think it's the best that you never had one." I said disappointedly with an algid expression on my face, before I turned around and left.

* * *

I was sitting on the edge of Elijah's bed, dabbing a cold, damp cloth on his hot forehead with one hand, and holding his hot right hand with the other, while Nik was frantically pacing up and down in our eldest brother's extremely tidy and antique featured room.

"I need to do something. I need to help him." Nik said in a mixture of worry and anger.

My glance wandered from my poor, ill, anguished brother to my healthy one as I said "Nik, calm down. Pacing up and down won't help him."

"What am I supposed to do then?" Nik asked reproachfully, as he stopped pacing and looked directly at me.

I knew that he was worried about Elijah. I was worried about him too… It was so unfamiliar to see my strong, wise, noble eldest brother lying there in immense pain. His breathing was increased and he was spluttering incoherent sentences about our parents… My eyes went watery as I thought about what kind of hell he must be going through right now.

"Come here." I told Nik lowly, while I pointed with my gaze to the other side of Elijah's bed.

Nik looked at me for a moment with a sad expression on his face, he then slowly walked over and sad down on the other side of the bed. His eyes were locked on the ground.

"Hold his hand. Let him know that you are here… that he is not alone." I explained, as I tried to fight back the tears that threatened to roll out of my eyes. I was so worried about Elijah… the thought of him having to go all alone through whatever pained him so much scared me…

Nik looked at me for a moment again, before he silently took Elijah's right hand in his. He then placed his other hand on Elijah's shoulder and said convincingly "We are here with you, brother. _You are not alone_. You can fight this."

Although Nik's words were addressed to Elijah, they made me feel a bit better. They gave me _hope_…

* * *

**Authors Note****:**

**I'm so sorry for the delay. Although, I have a lot of ideas on my mind about what I want to write next, I just don't feel like sitting down and typing it all in…**

**A BIG THANK YOU goes out to BeautifulDisaster123, san123 and mystery reviewer HermioneMalfoy! I love reading your reviews! :)**

**As always: ****_PLEASE REVIEW!_**


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer:**

**The title of the story is taken from the song "Who you are" by "Jessie J".**  
**I do not own the mentioned song all rights belong to their rightful owners.**  
**Unfortunately, I do not own any of the characters nor do I own "the Originals" or "the Vampire Diaries" all rights belong to their rightful owners.**

* * *

**Chapter 12**

It was night, and I had been sleeping on an antique armchair next to Elijah's bed, with my broken leg propped up on it, as I was being woken by my ill brother's incoherent spluttering. As I opened my eyes, I noticed that Nik was gone. What is wrong with my evil brother? What is more important than Elijah right now? I then noticed how my good brother was tossing around in his bed in panic…

"No! What did you do!?" He screamed in shock.

"Stay away from me!" He shouted angrily.

It was obvious that my poor brother was hallucinating… I just didn't know what he saw? "Elijah, calm down. Everything's fine. You're home, you're save." I tried to calm him down, as I stood up and pressed my hands down on his shoulders, trying to prevent him from hurting himself.

"It was you who killed them, not me!" my eldest brother shouted angrily, before he suddenly stood in front of me with one hand wrapped tightly around my throat. "You're the monster, not me." he growled with hate in his eyes, while he lifted my off the ground by my throat.

I tore with my hands at his wrist, trying to get his tight grip off my throat, while I desperately tried to gasp for air. "Lijah… stop, please…you're hurting me… please… it's me… Bekah…" I pleaded desperately, as I my vision started to slowly go black.

But my pleads fell on deaf ears, as he started to tighten his grip around my throat... In that moment, Nik suddenly appeared behind Elijah and pressed his hands against the sides of our older brother's head, until it turned to the side in an unhealthy angle and a loud crack could be heard. I fell to the ground along with him. I immediately started to cough as I tried to breathe in. As the fresh air finally filled my lungs, it felt like the best breath I have ever taken in my long life.

"Are you ok?" Nik asked worriedly, as he kneeled down next to me and placed one hand on my shoulder.

"I'm fine." I answered exhaustedly, as I moved my hand to my throat, where I could still feel the pressure of Elijah's hands. I then looked down to my eldest brother, who was lying on the floor beside me. Although he was unconscious, I was scared of him… of course I was used to fight with my brothers, especially Nik, but… never Elijah. In our long life he has not once laid a hand on me… _never_. I knew that he was ill and that he probably didn't mean to hurt me, but… in this moment the image of my noble older brother, which I had of him for my whole life, started to crumble…

I realised that Nik knew what I was thinking as he helped me back on my feet and said "He would never hurt you on purpose. You know that, right?"

I swallowed as I looked back down at Elijah, before I answered sadly "I know…"

As I looked back at Nik, another thought ran throw my mind… Where has he been? Our brother lies in his room, ill and agonized, and Nik has nothing better to do than to leave! "Where the bloody hell have you been?" I asked him angrily.

"Thank you, brother, for saving me. What would I do without you?" He retorted sarcastically while rolling his eyes, before he walked out of the room and down the stairs to our lounge.

"Hey! I asked you a question!" I shouted, as I started to follow him.

"I've been busy." Klaus answered annoyed; while he walked over to the cabinet in our lounge and took a bottle of bourbon out of it, before he opened it and drank the amber coloured liquid directly from the bottle.

"Busy doing what?" I asked frustrated. I wanted a proper answer!

"I was trying to find the bloody witch, who hexed our brother! But apparently she seems nowhere to be found!" Klaus shouted angrily, before he threw the bottle against the far wall.

I cringed as the bottle hit the wall and splintered into pieces. I then noticed that Nik was breathing heavily, and could see the anger and frustration on his face about not being able to help Elijah…

"I can't help him! I have no idea what to do next!" my upset brother bellowed in frustration.

I stood still for a moment, and just looked at him… I've never seen my smart brother like this before. Nik always has a plan, and he is usually at least three steps ahead of everyone… During my long life I have never seen him give up… _never_. Not even back in the old days when we were all human and our father used to beat him mercilessly. Nik still got up after every beating and smiled at me and pretended that it is all half as bad…

I carefully approached him and came to a halt right in front of him, before I placed one hand on his shoulder, looked up into his eyes and said convincingly "Nik, you are the smartest and most ambitious person I have ever known, and I have _never_ seen you give up. You always get up, no matter how many times you fail." I paused for a moment as I saw how his expression softened, I then placed my hand softly on his cheek and continued "So don't give up now, too. Not when Elijah needs you… Not when _I_ need you." I then slowly withdrew my hand, while I continued to look straight into his bright blue eyes with my own blue ones.

Nik was speechless as he stared at me with wide watery eyes. He then softly placed one hand on the side of my neck, before he leaned his forehead down on mine. We closed our eyes and just relished the feeling of peace we felt in this moment, as we started to slightly smile.

* * *

**Authors Note:**  
**Awwwww… I just love Klebekah!**

**A BIG THANK YOU goes out to the mystery reviewers yasmindb12 and Elliex! I love reading your reviews, they really motivate me. :)**

**I hope you all liked the chapter, if so: _PLEASE REVIEW!_**


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer****: **

**The title of the story is taken from the song "Who you are" by "Jessie J".  
****I do not own the mentioned song all rights belong to their rightful owners.  
****Unfortunately, I do not own any of the characters nor do I own "the Originals" or "the Vampire Diaries" all rights belong to their rightful owners.  
****Some of the dialogue and action are taken from and inspired by the review of the mystery reviewer "Elliex".**

* * *

_Nik was speechless as he stared at me with wide watery eyes. He then softly placed one hand on the side of my neck, before he leaned his forehead down on mine. We closed our eyes and just relished the feeling of peace we felt in this moment, as we started to slightly smile._

* * *

**Chapter 13**

After a moment, Nik placed a soft kiss on my forehead and said "There is something I need to show you."

"What?" I asked curiously, as I looked up into his eyes.

"Remember last night when you thought that the vampire, who tried to kill you, is haunting you, and I told you that he is not because I know?" he asked.

"Yes…" I answered slowly. What was he building up to?

"There is something I need to show you." He told me with a serious expression on his face, before I followed him out of our launch and downstairs into our cellar.

Just like the rest of our compound, the cellar was very old. The paint on the old brick walls was crumbling and there were no electric lights, only torches and candles that dipped the dark, old corridor system underneath our compound into a dim light. My siblings and I were the only ones, who knew about the cellar and could walk through the corridor system without getting lost. I followed my brother through the cold corridors, while I wondered what it was that he wanted to show me down here. He stopped in front of an old heavy steel door, turned to me and explained "He can't haunt you, if he's still alive." before he turned around and pushed the door open, revealing the vampire, who tried to kill me.

I was shocked. I couldn't believe that he was still alive; I assumed that my siblings killed him. At least that would be the proper punishment for trying to kill a Mikaelson. I stood still and just stared at the monster, who hung in the centre of the dim lighted room. He was barely standing; his wrists were encompassed by heavy steel chains that hung from the ceiling, while his ankles were encompassed by chains that were fixated on the floor. His head hung down and his clothes were torn and soaked with dark red blood. It seemed as if he had a lot of injuries… Nik must have tortured him, one of my brother's favourite hobbies beside the art.

I walked past my brother and entered the room carefully. I stopped in front of my attacker and stared at him. I felt so many emotions in that moment… anger, fear, hatred, and a lot of other emotions that I just couldn't name. All of them mixed up inside of me, as I used all my power to not let them come to the surface, while hid them under an algid facial expression.

The vampire slowly lifted his head and looked at me, before he asked "Missed me?" with a dirty smile on his bruised face.

I remained silent and just continued to stare at him... I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of upsetting me.

"You're pretty, you know?" he said after his gaze wandered up and down my body.

I felt so much anger bubbling up inside of me as I heard his comment, but I tried my best to keep my algid façade and to not show my anger.

"I should have done much more than just hitting you." he continued with that abhorrent smile on his face.

I felt sick to my stomach as I thought about what he just said… But before I could decide on whether I hit him or not, the decision was taken away from me as Nik suddenly appeared beside him, in the blink of an eye, and punched him hard in the face, over and over again. Blood was splattering out of the vampire's mouth and nose with every blow.

When my brother was finished, he grabbed the vampires jaw tightly and turned his head, so he was facing him. "Mind your tongue, before I rip it out of your bloody mouth." he threatened with anger in his voice, before he let go of the vampires jaw and allowed the man's head to hang down exhaustedly.

"Why didn't you kill him?" I asked Nik as calmly as I could, while I continued to stare at the vampire in front of me, with my algid facial expression.

"Shall I?" he asked with pleasant anticipation in his voice, and even though my eyes were fixed on the vampire in front of me, I knew that Nik was smirking.

I turned to my brother and explained calmly "No, I mean why didn't you kill him weeks ago?"

"I wanted to torture that bloody coward until he tells me for whom he is working for." my hybrid brother explained as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

"And?" I asked him impatiently.

"And what?" he asked annoyed.

"And for whom is he working for?" I asked again.

"I don't know, he didn't say anything yet." he admitted. "I'm thinking about skinning him alive at next." he added with a devilish smirk on his face.

My gaze wandered from my brother back to the vampire. Although he seemed to be in hell already, I just couldn't stand the thought of having him here. After what that monster did to me, I didn't want to share the same planet with him, let alone my family's compound.

"What are you doing?" Nik asked, as I walked over to a sharp, long, metal bar that leaned against one of the old brick walls.

I ignored his question, as I took the bar and walked back to the vampire, who hung in the middle of the room.

"Bekah, I still need him." my brother said, as he blocked my way and stood with his back in front of the vampire, while he wrapped one hand firmly around the metal bar I was holding.

I wasn't able to contain all the mixed up feelings I felt because of that vampire any longer. I wanted to see him dead! I hated him, I was angry at him and I feared him at the same time… I just wanted him gone! I tightened my grip around the metal bar as I looked up at my brother; with the storm of emotions I was feeling clearly visible in my eyes. He looked down into my eyes for a moment, before he silently nodded, let go of the metal bar and stepped aside.

"Look at me." I ordered the vampire, as I took one step forward and stood right in front of him. I wanted to be the last thing he would see on this earth, before he finally disappears from it, for good.

He slowly lifted his head and looked at me, before he said "You won't do it." as if it was a matter of fact.

"I have killed countless vampires before. You are a no one, just like them." I retorted convincingly, before I pushed the metal bar deep into his chest, while I watched how live slowly disappeared in his eyes. I stood still for a moment and just stared at the dead body that hung in front of me… killing someone when you are mortal yourself was… different. It reminded me of how fragile life is…

"Come…" Nik said, before he gently placed his hand on my back and led me out of the cellar.

When we were back in the lounge, I walked over to the cabinet and poured myself a glass of scotch. I just needed something to get my mind of what I just did. But before I could move the glass up to my lips, Nik snatched it out of my hand and drank it himself.

"Hey!" I exclaimed, as I turned around to face him.

"Ah, don't pout, little sister. You know you're not allowed to drink anymore, it's not good for you." he reminded me playfully.

"Says the one who drinks bourbon straight from the bottle." I retorted, as I stood with my hands on my hips.

Nik just smiled amusedly at my comment, revealing the cute dimples he always hated at himself.

His reaction made me angry. I wanted to be taken serious! "I am 1021 years old, I can drink whatever I want." I argued.

"Well, but your body is only 17, which means that alcohol is bad for you." Klaus argued.

I just crossed my arms and rolled my eyes at him. It wasn't like I would grow older anyway.

"Apart from that, you'll need you liver for the next 1021." he added with a self-satisfied smirk on his lips.

I just sighed in frustration, before I murmured "I'm going to check on Elijah." and left the room to check on him. But my annoying big brother had of course nothing better to do than to follow me.

As we walked into Elijah's room, Elijah was still lying unconsciously on the uncomfortable ground. Nik picked him up and lay him back on his bed, while I sat down on one of the antique armchairs beside our brother's bed. In that moment, the door to Elijah's room opened and Hayley entered the room.

"What the bloody hell are you doing here?" I asked her with anger in my voice as I shot up from my seat.

"Well I'm team Haylijah, not team Jayley." the brunette replied with a smile on her face.

I couldn't help, but smile back at her. It made me happy to know that my brother would finally have a girlfriend that really loves him, not like all that Petrova doppelgängers.

The pregnant werewolf walked over to Elijah's bed and sat down beside him, before she tenderly stroked with her hand over his head. She then pulled a small ampoule, filled with a dark blue liquid, out of the pocket of her jeans.

"What is that?" I asked her curiously.

"Well, while you were here and apparently broke your brother's neck, I used my connections to get a cure for him." she explained confidently, before she opened the ampoule and poured the content into my ill brother's mouth.

A wide smile appeared on my face, as I realized that I started to like my new friend more and more.

* * *

**Authors Note****:**

**So here it is the next chapter. Thank you for spending your precious time on reading it. If you liked it, please leave a review.**

**A BIG THANK YOU goes out to Elliex, whose suggestion became the ending of the chapter. :)**

**This goes out to all of my readers who do not leave a review (aka 95% of my readers):**

**_I'm watching you._**


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer****: **

**The title of the story is taken from the song "Who you are" by "Jessie J".  
****I do not own the mentioned song all rights belong to their rightful owners.  
****Unfortunately, I do not own any of the characters nor do I own "the Originals" or "the Vampire Diaries" all rights belong to their rightful owners.**

* * *

**Chapter 14**

It was morning. The bright sunrays of Louisiana's morning sun shone through the antique windows of Elijah's room and reflected playfully on my long loosely curled golden hair, as I awoke curled up under a cotton blanket on one of the armchairs beside Elijah's bed. I just didn't remember standing up and getting a blanket last night… I guessed that someone must have thought that I was freezing and laid it over me.

I yawned and stretched my arms out, before I heard the sound of a very familiar voice saying "Good morning, sweetheart."

I looked over to the other side of Elijah's bed, to see my brother Nik resting on the other antique armchair. His bright blue eyes looked very tired. "Have you been up all night?" I asked him with a hint of worry in my voice.

"I have waited for him to wake up." he simply replied, as he looked over to our still unconscious elder brother, who was lying on his bed.

I just nodded. I was glad that Nik didn't left this time. I didn't know why, but… I felt uncomfortable at the thought of being alone with Elijah. I know that he didn't mean to hurt me, but… I have never seen him like that before… he was so angry… The picture of my noble older brother started crumbled last night… and I doubted that it could ever become pristine again.

I let my gaze wander over the room as noticed that someone was missing. "Where is Hayley?" I asked Nik curiously.

"She went back to the bayou to look after her pack." he simply answered, while he looked out of the window.

"Ah." I simply said. I knew that Hayley loved Elijah, but it seemed like her pack was important to her too. They were like her family after all. She couldn't just abandon them.

"Your throat, it's bruised." Nik pointed out as he looked back at me.

"It's ok. I'm fine." I lied quickly with a faked smile on my lips, while I hoped that he would buy it. I then made a mental note to cover it up with make-up later. But as I saw the silent, worried look in Nik's eyes, I knew that he didn't buy it.

We heard a groan, before Elijah suddenly sat up in his bed. "What happened?" he asked confusedly as he looked at Nik and me in turn.

"You were hexed, don't worry your lover cured you. And before you ask, no she is not here. She went back to the bayou to take care of her pack." Nik explained bluntly, while I just silently gazed at our elder brother.

Although he seemed to be back to normal, I just couldn't stop looking at him in a different way than before… I always saw him as inerrable and wise, and would always admire him for it. But now it was… different. I just couldn't describe it… It was a bit like getting disappointed by your role model.

"How bad was it?" Elijah asked then.

"Well, where do I start?" Nik began sarcastically. "You were delusional; you spluttered incoherent sentences all the time… oh! But the highlight was when you choked our sister." he continued reproachfully.

"What?" Elijah whispered in shock, before he turned to me and looked at my bruised throat. "I'm so sorry, sister… Are you alright?" he apologized, with dismay and regret clearly visible in his eyes.

"It's ok. I'm fine." I lied quickly, _again_, with a faked smile on my lips, while I hoped that he would buy it. "It's not your fault, you weren't yourself." I added convincingly. And judging by the change of Elijah's expression, he bought it.

I then excused myself and left the room. I just couldn't look at him any longer. I hated it, I hated how I saw him differently now… and I hated myself for doing this.

* * *

_A few weeks later…_

My shinbone and my rip were fully healed, and the bruises on my neck were finally gone.

I was sitting on my knees on the cold floor of my luxurious but also antique bathroom, which was attached to my bedroom, _again_, as I hung with my head over the toilet _again_, as I started to throw up _again_. I've been feeling sick all week, especially in the mornings… I barely ate a thing, because I could keep nearly nothing in my stomach. I felt so awful…

"Hey, how are you doing?" Hayley asked worriedly as she walked into my bathroom, without knocking first, and sat down on the floor beside me.

"I don't remember allowing you to enter without knocking." I tried to sound arrogantly but it sounded more exhaustedly than anything else, as turned around and leaned with my back against the toilet.

"Well, I knew that you wouldn't, so I didn't bother asking." The wolf girl explained bluntly.

"What do you want, Hayley?" I asked her annoyed without even looking at her. I really didn't felt like talking right then…

"I was worried about you, you've been sick all week... And I remember that kind of sickness from my first weeks of pregnancy." the pregnant wolf explained worriedly.

"Don't be ridiculous, I'm not pregnant. I can't be." I told her bluntly, while my gaze was fixed on the far wall.

"A view months ago you were immortal. Now you're not, you're different. How can you be so sure that you can't be pregnant?" she asked.

My look went to the floor as I realised that she had a point. How could I be so sure? But… even if I could get pregnant, I've only been with Marcel and Jason, and both of them are vampires. Vampires can't procreate. But… what if nature found a loophole? I mean, I'm not a normal mortal after all…

After I was silent for a while, Hayley said "Look, I bought a view pregnancy tests.", before she placed a handful of pregnancy tests on the floor between us. "You can do the tests and get certainty or you leave it and stay uncertain. It's your decision." she explained, before she got up. "Anyway, I'm here for you." my friend declared, before she left.

* * *

After I sat for half an hour on the cold bathroom floor and contemplated if I should do the test or not, I decided to do one. Now I was sitting on the floor again and waited, for what seemed like the longest minute of my life, on the result. I waited… and waited… and waited… and waited… and waited… until the timer of my smartphone began to ring and signalled that 1 minute was over. I looked down on the test in my hands… _it was positive_. I immediately did another test… and another one… and another one… and another one… and another one… and another one. They all showed the same result… _positive_.

A wide smile appeared on my face. I couldn't believe it… _I was pregnant!_ I've never been as happy in my entire life as I was in this very moment! Well… maybe when I found out that I was pregnant with my first baby a thousand years ago… But this time, I would not let anything happen to my child. I have waited for over a thousand years to finally have a baby again, I would never let any harm come to this child. All I've ever wanted was to be a mother. And now I am one.

Of course it would take a view months until I could finally see a baby bump, but I knew that there was a teeny tiny being in my stomach, that just waited to enter this world. And I knew that this baby would be the most loved child on this earth, because it was mine. It was like a gift to me. A _long_, _long_, _long_ awaited gift.

But then another thought crossed my mind… who is the father? Shortly after I've been together with Jason, I've been together with Marcel… I knew that a paternity test during pregnancy was risky for the child. Should I even tell them? Marcel and I didn't really parted on the best terms and I was still hurt and angry at Jason for betraying me. But… there was also a part of me that still loved him, despite what he has done. This was also the reason why I didn't tell my brother's about Jason's betrayal. If they found out that he was spying on our family, they would have killed him.

Should I tell my siblings? Absolutely not. I knew how possessive Klaus can be, who knows what he would do to the father. And what about Elijah? Well… I wasn't really sure how he would react… Would he be happy for me? Angry? Disappointed? I had absolutely no idea…

I decided to better not tell my siblings yet. Hayley was a good a friend, I knew that she could keep a secret. But I also decided to inform Marcel and Jason about the baby, although they didn't live in the compound anymore and I wouldn't have to see them on a daily basis, I realised that they had a right to know. It would be the easiest to just write them a message… I did not want to discuss over this.

I picked up my smartphone from the floor and send both of them the same message.

_I'm pregnant. It's possible that you're the father. I know that vampires can't procreate and I thought I can't too, but it seems to be one of nature's loopholes... Don't worry you don't have to do anything; I want to raise the child by myself._

I decided to better get rid of the tests, before anyone could find them. I then picked up the pregnancy tests and stuffed them into the pockets of my leather jacket, before I went out of my bathroom and into my bedroom. I carefully opened my bedroom door, which led out of my bedroom and into one of the long corridors in our home. I peered into the corridor to see if anyone was out there. As I noticed that no one was in the corridor, I quickly ran through it and down the stairs to our ground floor. I looked around the corner to make sure that no one was in the kitchen, before I ran into the kitchen. I took a black, non-transparent bin liner and stuffed the pregnancy tests that were in my pocket hastily into the bin liner, before I closed it with a knot and threw it in our dustbin. I breathed in relieve after I successfully completed my mission.

"What is that?" I heard a very familiar voice asking.

I turned around in shock to see that Klaus was standing behind me.

He bowed down and picked up a pregnancy test that was lying on the floor.

Oh no… It must have fallen out of my pocket. I thought in shock. I was such a fool!

"You are pregnant?" he asked reproachfully with a hint of disappointment and anger in his voice, after he picked it up and saw that it was positive.

I just stood there in shock. I didn't say anything. It was as if I was paralysed. I couldn't believe that this was happening…

"Who is the father?" he asked angrily.

I remained silent… All I could do was staring at him in shock.

"Rebekah, who is the father?" he growled impatiently. His voice was filled with anger.

I remained silent… I couldn't tell him. My mind was racing as I thought about all the terrible things he could do to Marcel or Jason.

"TELL ME, REBEKAH!" he bellowed angrily in my face as he grabbed me firmly by the forearms and pulled me closer to him. His steel blue eyes were filled with anger and frustration.

I was trembling, while I could feel my increased heartbeat as well as breathing. Tears filled my eyes as I felt how he tightened his painful grip around my forearms, when I tried to get free of his grasp. I hardly bit down on my lip as I tried not to cry. Nik was trying to intimidate me and it worked... _I was scared of him_.

* * *

**Authors Note****:**

**Poor Bekah… **

**A BIG THANK YOU goes out to BeautifulDisaster123, san123 and the mystery reviewers klebekahlove and HermioneMalfoy! Reading your reviews makes me really happy and motivates me into writing! :)**

**Unfortunately, I probably won't be able to upload the next chapter next week, because I'm going to be on a school trip to Poland…**

**As always: ****_PLEASE REVIEW!_**


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer****: **

**The title of the story is taken from the song "Who you are" by "Jessie J".  
****I do not own the mentioned song all rights belong to their rightful owners.  
****Unfortunately, I do not own any of the characters nor do I own "the Originals" or "the Vampire Diaries" all rights belong to their rightful owners.**

* * *

_I was trembling, while I could feel my increased heartbeat as well as breathing. Tears filled my eyes as I felt how he tightened his painful grip around my forearms, when I tried to get free of his grasp. I hardly bit down on my lip as I tried not to cry. Nik was trying to intimidate me and it worked... I was scared of him._

* * *

**Chapter 15**

"Let go of her, Niklaus." a stern voice sounded threw the room.

I took a glance over Nik's shoulder, and saw that Elijah was standing a view feet away from us with a stern look on his face.

Nik waited for a moment before he sighed in frustration and did as he was told.

Once he released his painful grip on my arms, I silently took a few steps back in order to get some space between us. I was still trembling and my arms hurt terribly as I looked over at my older siblings, with my arms crossed protectively over my flat stomach.

"And there he is, our great hero." Klaus commented sarcastically as he turned around to face our elder brother.

"I hope you don't honestly expect me to stand aside while you hurt our baby sister, do you brother?" Elijah said calmly with a hint of anger in his voice, as he approached Klaus.

"Well as you are so concerned about our dear baby sister, would it interest you to hear that she is pregnant?" Klaus asked rhetorically with his anger still clearly audible in his voice.

"What?" Elijah asked in shock, as he turned to me.

I just stood there in silence with my eyes locked to the ground. I couldn't look him in the eyes… I still had no idea if he was happy for me or not. And… I still couldn't fix the image of the noble good brother I had of him, which crumbled a view weeks ago... Ever since he tried to kill me, I have been avoiding him… I left the room as soon as he entered and I always tried to not look him in the eyes. I hoped that he didn't notice it though.

"Rebekah, who is the father?" he asked calmly after he's gotten over his shock.

I didn't say anything. I couldn't. Although, I had my unresolved differences with both, Marcel and Jason, there was still a part of me that loved them and cared about them and that wanted to protect them.

"I was just about to get the answer to this question, if you hadn't interrupted me." Klaus explained reproachfully.

"Threatening her is not an option." Elijah explained sternly as he looked directly at Klaus, whose look turned to the ground with a guilty expression on his face. "We will settle this like family." Elijah announced.

* * *

Ten minutes later, we were all situated around the 300-year-old coffee table in our lounge. Klaus and Elijah were sitting on the one side on two antique armchairs, while I was sitting on the other side on our antique leather couch with my arms crossed protectively over my stomach.

"So, sister, now that we are all here, would you care to tell us who the father is?" Klaus asked with a hint of hidden anger in his voice as he leaned back on his armchair.

I just glared at him in silence. I knew better than to just tell him so that he could kill them.

Elijah's look wandered from me to Klaus and then back to me, before he promised "Rebekah, whoever the father is Niklaus will not kill him, not as long as I am here. I promise you."

My gaze wandered to Elijah for a moment, before I looked away from him again.

I still couldn't look at him... I knew that I should be grateful for that he just helped me with Klaus… and I was. But… it didn't fix what was broken. I also knew that it was not fair of me to forgive Nick for every mistake he does and the one time Elijah makes one… I just can't.

But although I was doubting my big brother, there was still a part of me that believed that he would never break a promise. So I decided to tell them.

"I don't know who exactly the father is… it's either Jason or Marcel." I said hesitantly with my eyes locked on the coffee table.

"What!? That's impossible, vampires can't procreate." Klaus commented angrily.

"I know. I thought so too, but it seems to be one of nature's loopholes. I'm not a normal mortal after all." I explained as I looked up at him.

I think Klaus was about to retort something, when we heard a loud bang from downstairs. I immediately took the opportunity to get out of this intervention and went downstairs to see what was going on.

* * *

I heard some other loud noises coming from the entrance, and as I walked into it I saw _them_. Marcel and Jason were having a fight in our house.

"Stay away from them, traitor!" Marcel growled angrily at Jason as he punched him hard in the face, which caused Jason to fly into one of our 200-year-old shelves and break it.

Jason immediately got up and vamp-speeded to Marcel before he growled "She and that baby are mine, you're the one who should stay away!" while he hit Marcel hard in the stomach and threw him against the far wall.

I just stood there in shock. What the bloody hell was wrong them!? "Stop it, both of you!" I shouted at them.

But they just ignored me and went on with hurting each other.

"Stop it!" I shouted again.

They didn't listen.

In that moment Elijah suddenly appeared between them and threw both of them to opposite sides of the room before he said calmly but also sternly "Enough of this foolishness."

Marcel and Jason both stood up from the ground and threw lethal glares at each other, but did as Elijah told them.

I was about to ask what has gotten into them, when Klaus suddenly appeared and hit Jason hardly in the face, causing him to crash into the floor and leave a dent in it. Jason groaned in pain before he slowly got off the floor and prepared to hit back. But Elijah gladly stepped between Klaus and Jason, placed his hands on their chests and said sternly and determinedly "Enough."

Klaus sighed in anger while he threw a lethal glare at Jason. He then turned to Marcel and slowly approached him, while Marcel got off the floor and raised his hands in an attempt to calm my brother down, while he said "Look, Klaus, I know you're angry but-"

Marcel was cut off and crashed to the ground as Klaus' fist made contact with his face. My hybrid brother then hit Marcel over and over again, before he suddenly stopped and shouted with hurt and anger clearly audible in his voice "I trusted you! I thought you are my friend! And you knocked up my baby sister!"

"Nick, stop it!" I screamed as I looked over at Marcel and saw how dark blood was flowing out of his mouth and nose.

Before Klaus could hit Marcel again, Elijah pulled our brother back and said sternly "Niklaus, calm down." he then stepped in front of Klaus, placed his hand on his chest, looked him in the eyes and continued "I know that you feel betrayed by your friend, but Marcel could be the father of our niece or nephew and I will not allow you to hurt him."

Klaus glared at Elijah for a moment, before he sighed in frustration and said with venom in his voice "Fine. I need some air." He then left the mansion and shut the front door loudly and forcefully behind him, which caused me to flinch.

It was silent for a moment. Elijah then walked over to me and asked "Do you want me to stay?"

I shook my head. "It's ok. I think the three of us need to talk." I explained as I tried to avoid his look.

Although Elijah helped me once again, I still couldn't look at him the way I looked at him before, which is why I usually preferred to avoid his gaze.

"Call me if you need anything, sister." he said before he left the room and went back upstairs.

"What the bloody hell has gotten into you?" I asked with anger in my voice as I turned to Jason and Marcel.

"You can't just tell us that you're pregnant and decide that you're going to raise the child by yourself." Marcel explained in defence.

"One of us is the father; we have a right to decide with you." Jason added.

"What? Now that I'm pregnant you suddenly want to see me?" I asked them reproachfully as I looked at both of them in turn.

"You told me to leave, remember? And I'm not only here because of the child; I'm here because I love you, Rebekah Mikaelson." Marcel told me sincerely.

"So am I." Jason declared with honesty as he looked into my eyes.

I looked at both of them in turn… Of course I still had feelings for both of them and cared about them, but… Marcel broke my heart when he chose New Orleans over me, and ever since then I have been trying to forget him…

And Jason just hurt me so much when I found out that he betrayed me and used me to get to information about my family…

I couldn't forgive neither of them… but I also couldn't turn off my feelings for them…

"… I need some time." I finally said, after a long moment of silence, before I went upstairs to my room.

* * *

I shut the door to my room behind me, walked over to my antique king size bed, and let myself fall down onto it with my back. I stared up at the ceiling as I started to realise that my whole life changed during just one day…

Now I am pregnant… My child has two fathers, who are both in love with me… Nik is angry at me… and Elijah? Well, he is the only person with whom my relationship didn't get worse today, but only because it already has been bad for a few weeks...

I noticed that it was already evening as my look wandered from the ceiling to the window. The beautiful orange sun was nearly fully disappeared behind the roofs of the French quarter.

I got off the bed and decided to make myself ready for bed. When I was finished, I lay down onto my bed again with my back leaned against the upper end of it and an old book of fairytales, which Elijah gave to me a view centuries ago when we were in England, in my hand. I placed the other hand onto my stomach and started to softly read to my baby. Although it was just a view weeks old and I didn't even know if it had ears yet, I loved it to spend some time alone with the beloved teeny tiny little being in my stomach. I just couldn't wait to get to know her or him…

It was late evening as the peaceful moments I spend with my beloved baby were interrupted by a knock on my door.

I looked up from my book before I asked "Yes please?"

Elijah opened the door and asked calmly "Sister, do you have a moment?"

I nodded.

He then entered, closed the door behind him and walked over to my bed. "May I?" he asked, as he was asking if he could sit down onto my bed.

I nodded again, while I was wondering what it was that he wanted to talk about.

"Is Nik home yet?" I asked him with a hint of worry in my voice, as Elijah sat down onto my bed. Nik has been gone for a view hours by then. Although he was angry at me and we had our disagreements, he still was my brother and I worried about him.

"No, you know how Niklaus is he just needs to let some steam off. Don't worry, he can look out for himself, I am sure he is fine." Elijah explained calmly as he looked at me.

I still couldn't look at him… instead I just stared down onto the blanket, which was lying over my legs.

"There is something I wanted to talk about with you for a few weeks now…" Elijah started, but then paused for a moment. "Is everything ok between us?" he then asked carefully.

"Yes." I lied without looking at him.

"Rebekah, you've been avoiding me for weeks now. Every time I enter a room, you leave. Every time I talk to you or look at you, you refuse to look at me." he explained calmly.

He then took my chin carefully in his hand and lifted it in his direction, so that I had to look at him. "What have I done?" he then asked carefully, while his brown eyes searched in my bright blue ones for an answer.

I silently looked at him for a moment… and I hated it. I hated how I still saw him differently after everything he has done for me today. I took a deep breath before I started to explain "Since I can think, I always saw you as my wise, inerrable and noble older brother, who would never lay a hand on me no matter how annoying I can be from time to time, and I always admired you for it."

I paused for a moment and then continued "And I know that it wasn't your fault, but… when you choked me, a view weeks ago,… that image that I had of you started to crumble. And since then I started to see you in another light and started to doubt you…"

My eyes were already watery as I continued and said with a shaky voice "I don't want to feel this way about you and I know that it is not fair. Nik hurts me and disappoints me all the time and I forgive him… because I'm used to it. And you make one mistake that isn't even your fault and everything changes between us…"

"I don't know why… but I just expect more from you than I expect from other people…" I said as I could no longer hold back my tears.

Elijah's eyes were watery and he was speechless as he slowly let go off my chin and pulled me into a tight hug.

"I'm sorry…" I sobbed into his suit jacket.

Elijah was silent for a while and just held me in his arms before he pulled back, wiped away my tears, looked deep into my eyes and said "No. I'm sorry, baby sister. I knew what a high opinion you had of me and I still disappointed you. I hurt you." He then softly placed one hand on my cheek and continued "But I promise you that it will never happen again, I am still the same person I've always been. You can rely on me."

I nodded and weakly smiled up at him.

"And Rebekah, I am happy for you. You will finally get to be a mother like you always wanted." he said sincerely with a smile on his face, while he gently rubbed with one hand over my upper arm.

I then smiled back at him. Elijah was the first person that congratulated me and was happy about my pregnancy. And just like that, the crumbled image was pristine again.

I then looked down onto the book on my lap and said "I was just reading to the baby, do you want to join me?"

"I would love to." Elijah said sincerely with smile on his face, before I scooted to the side and let him lay down beside me. He leaned with his back against the upper end of the bed and laid one arm around me so that I could lean on him. I then handed the book over to him as I silently offered him to read to the baby.

He opened it and was about to start reading when he suddenly stopped and said softly "Your heartbeats sound beautiful by the way." He then started to read to the baby and me.

I smiled up at him as I was happy to hear that my baby's heartbeat was already audible, but I also envied him a bit because I couldn't hear it.

Elijah read one fairy tale after the other to us, while I got sleepier and sleepier until I finally fell asleep in his arm.

* * *

**Authors Note****:**

**Awww… they are so cute!**

**A BIG THANK YOU goes out to xxdonedirtcheapxx and the mystery reviewers Elliex, Little Wolf and HermioneMalfoy! I love reading your reviews; they really motivate me and sweeten my day! :)**

**Unfortunately, this is probably going to be the last chapter for this week, because I won't be at home for a view days and I don't know if my hotel has got WLAN yet.**

**As always: ****_PLEASE REVIEW!_**


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer****: **

**The title of the story is taken from the song "Who you are" by "Jessie J".  
****I do not own the mentioned song all rights belong to their rightful owners.  
****Unfortunately, I do not own any of the characters nor do I own "the Originals" "the Vampire Diaries" "Grey's Anatomy" or "Private Practice" all rights belong to their rightful owners.  
****Some of the dialogue and action are taken from and inspired by the Grey's Anatomy episode "Flight" (Season 8, Episode 24).  
****The character of Doctor Montgomery is inspired by the character of Doctor Addison Forbes Montgomery (played by Kate Walsh) on Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice.**

* * *

**Chapter 16**

Three days later I had my first check-up in the hospital.

I was so excited! I couldn't wait for the ultrasound! I wanted to finally see my baby and hear its heartbeat. But I also was a bit of anxious… I couldn't believe that this was really happening and that for the first time in _many_, _many_ centuries life was on _my_ side. That _I_ received such a great gift. And I wondered what I had done to earn it. It all seemed too wonderful to be true… and I worried that life would turn on me again, and that there could be anything wrong with my baby…

I was waiting for the doctor as I was lying on a section examination couch in the examination room while my hands were resting on my still flat stomach.

"Are you exited?" Elijah asked as his gaze wandered from the door to me.

I decided to take Elijah with me to my first ultrasound. Not only because I wasn't allowed to leave the house by myself, but also because I wanted him to be here.

Nik seemed to be still angry at me, so I didn't wanted him to destroy the memory of my first ultrasound.

Although Jason and Marcel confessed their love for me three days ago, I didn't wanted them with me too. Partly because I didn't wanted to decide which one of them was going to come with me to the doctor and partly because I didn't feel like I was ready to talk about my feelings for them…

Taking Elijah seemed like the best decision. He was the only one who was truly happy for my after all.

"I have never been this excited in my whole life before…" I confessed. "But… what if there is something wrong with my baby?" I asked him worriedly.

"I am sure that your child fine, sister." Elijah answered reassuringly as he brushed with his hand over my head.

I didn't know why, but as I looked up at him and saw his calm expression… _I believed him_.

In that moment the doctor entered the room. She was a tall woman in her early 40s with red hair and light blue to green eyes in a doctor's coat.

"Hello, my name is Doctor Montgomery and I'm going to be your gynaecologist for the next months." She explained confidently as she walked in and shook our hands.

I immediately liked the woman. She had a kind of radiation that just made you feel comfortable and happy.

"Rebekah Mikaelson. And that is my brother Elijah." I explained as I shook her hand.

"You look pretty young. Do your parents know that you're pregnant?" Doctor Montgomery asked.

"I'm much older than look like." I explained with a smirk on my lips. If she'd only knew…

"Ok." She answered. She then switched on the ultrasound device and asked casually "Who is the father?"

I thought for a view seconds about what I should tell her. Before I answered "It's… complicated."

"I understand." She answered without any judgement in her voice.

After she clicked a bit on the ultrasound device she asked "Would you please pull up your shirt a bit, so I can have access to your abdomen?"

I did as she asked me to before she pressed some light blue coloured gel onto my stomach… it felt very strange and cold. She then placed the ultrasound head on my stomach and looked on the display of the ultrasound device.

"So… up there is the gestational sac. Here you can see the foetus... it's 1,25 centimetres long. And there right next to it is the yolk sac. And here… that's the heart." She explained as she turned the display in my direction and clicked a bit on it with the mouse.

A huge smile appeared on my lips as I looked on the display and listened to the doctor. I was speechless. It was… _amazing_. I was looking at my baby… it made everything so real. The heart was so tiny… The little thing looked so fragile and beautiful… it was indescribable and one of the most beautiful moments in my entire life.

"Wow…" Elijah breathed in astonishment as he looked at the display.

After a view clicks by Doctor Montgomery we could hear the sound of something beating fastly.

"That's the heart rate… the FHR is 160bmp. You're in the seventh week and your baby seems to be healthy." She explained with a pleasant smile on her lips.

The smile on my face grew even bigger as I heard my baby's heartbeat and heard what she said. Its heartbeat sounded… _beautiful_. I couldn't believe how lucky I was to have such a beautiful, healthy baby growing inside of me…

After a moment the doctor wiped the gel of my stomach with a paper towel, gave me the ultrasound pictures and said sincerely "Congratulations Miss Mikaelson. I'm going to give you an appointment for the next ultrasound examination for in 12 weeks, and then we can also find out the gender of your child if you want."

"Thank you, Doctor Montgomery." I thanked her, before she shook my hand, then Elijah's and left the room.

"I am really happy for you, sister. You have a beautiful, healthy child." Elijah said softly with a smile on his face, before he gently stroked with his hand over my head and kissed me softly on the forehead.

I smiled up at him as I was happy to hear that he didn't begrudge my luck to me, unlike Nik. At least I had one brother on which I could rely on.

* * *

Half an hour later I was back home. I was lying on the antique leather couch in our lounge, as I silently admired the pictures of the ultrasound, which Doctor Montgomery gave to me.

I just couldn't get enough of the beloved, beautiful, teeny tiny being on the pictures…

In that moment Nik slowly entered the room and walked over to where I was lying on the couch. He sat down on the coffee table in front of the couch and silently looked at my bruised forearms before his gaze wandered to the ultrasound pictures, which lay on my stomach.

I looked up from the picture in my hand and looked at him as I waited for one of his typical sarcastic comments… but there was none. He looked… _remorseful_.

Nik lightly touched one of my bruised forearms before he said remorsefully "I'm sorry, sister… I lost my temper."

I silently looked into his bright blue eyes for a moment... I could see that he was really sorry… So I nodded and forgave him. I just couldn't do anything else; I was so used to forgive my brother for everything he does that I just couldn't stop with it.

Nik took one of the pictures from my stomach and looked at it for a while; he then breathed "It's beautiful…" After a moment he looked up from the picture with watery eyes and said sincerely "I truly hope you'll find happiness with your baby. And I hope that despite my behaviour, you'll allow me to be an uncle to your child."

"Of course I will." I breathed as my own eyes went watery too. I just couldn't believe that my older brother finally accepted my pregnancy and was happy for me… It meant so much to me.

A small smile appeared on his lips as he heard my words. He then nodded, kissed me softly on the forehead and left the room.

"Nik." I said just before he was out the door.

He stopped but didn't turn around.

"Thank you." I thanked him lowly. I just felt like I had to let him know that I was grateful for that he finally accepted my baby.

He didn't say anything for a moment, before he left the room.

* * *

I spend the evening with reading to my baby in my room. I lay under the blankets of my bed while my hand rested on my flat stomach as I read softly to the teeny tiny being in my stomach. Reading to her or him made me feel… _calm_. I enjoyed it…

But then the beautiful moments with my baby were interrupted by a strange noise, which seemed to come from downstairs.

I knit my brows critically as I wondered what it was that I just heard. I then decided to find it out as got up, placed the book on my bedside cabinet and walked down to the ground floor.

As I slowly walked into our entrance I saw Jason.

There was fresh blood dripping down his hands and his mouth was smeared with blood as well. His eyes turned dark as he saw me and dark veins appeared under his eyes. His mouth was slightly opened and I could see how his fangs extended…

I stood still in shock… I was scared but also confused. What was wrong with him?

"Jason…" I breathed carefully as I saw the hungry look in his eyes.

But it seemed like he didn't recognised me… There was a loud thud and I screamed in pain when he pushed me, in the blink of an eye, harshly against the far wall and was about to dug his fangs deep into my neck. But he suddenly stopped… he breathed in sharply before his eyes went empty and he fell to the floor.

I was trembling and my heartbeat as well as breathing were increased. My head as well as my spine hurt terribly… As Jason fell to the floor, I couldn't understand what just happened… but then I saw Nik. He had been standing behind Jason… in his with blood smeared hand was laying the heart of the possible father of my baby…

As I realised what just happened tears filled my eyes and I began to cry as my legs gave in and I dropped down onto my knees beside Jason's corpse.

"Jason! NO! Nooo!" I sobbed as I lay my head on his chest.

"No… Jason… please…" I sobbed as I looked up at his cold empty face and stroked my hand gently over it.

"I love you, I love you, I love you… I've always been in love with you… I will always be in love with you… which is why you can't be dead." I confessed as hot tears continued to stream down my cheeks.

"We- we could get married… and you're going to be a great father… " I sobbed as I continued to stroke over his cold face.

I held his empty face in my hands and whispered quietly "And-… we're going to be happy, Jason… You and me we're going to have the best life. You and me. We're going to be so happy…"

"So you can't be dead, ok?... You can't be dead…" I sobbed.

"… Because we are supposed to end up together… we are meant to be…" I whispered as I continued to hold his cold face in my hands.

I then closed his eyelids as I started to feel a stinging pain in my stomach and sobbed quietly "I love you… I love you… I love you… I love you…" while I took one of his hands in mine and kissed it softly…

I stroked gently with my soft hand over his head, while I tried to ignore the stinging pain in my stomach as I continued to whisper between sobs "I love you… I love you… I love you…"

No… No… No… this couldn't be true… he is not dead, he can't be. I love him! I was so stupid! I've wasted so much time cogitating how I feel about him… it actually took his death to realise that I love him. No, no, no! This is not fair!

"Ahhh…" I breathed in sharply as the pain in my stomach increased.

I kissed Jason's hand one last time before I looked up at Klaus, who was standing motionless a view feet away. He was just looking down at me in silence with watery eyes filled with remorse… But this time I would not forgive him. Not for what he just-… I could _never_ forgive him.

"How could you!" I screamed at him bitterly as hot tears continued to ran down my damp cheeks.

"Bekah… I had no choice, he was going to kill you." he explained remorsefully as he looked down at me with pity in his blue eyes.

"No! You don't get to talk to me anymore!" I screamed at him, before I paused for a moment and then continued bitterly "_I hate you!_"

"What is going on?" Elijah asked alarmed as he rushed down the stairs and came to an abrupt stop as he saw Jason's corpse.

I felt so angry as I saw him. He promised me! He gave me his word that he would not let Niklaus kill the fathers of my baby! And now Jason is dead! He is a liar!

"You promised me!" I screamed reproachfully at Elijah as I tried to stand up but fell back on my knees and bent forward as I felt how the sharp pain in my stomach abruptly increased.

I breathed in sharply, clenched my teeth and placed one hand on my stomach as I tried to endure the pain.

"Bekah… you're bleeding." Nik pointed out worriedly as he knelt down beside me and placed one hand gently on my back.

I looked down and saw blood spreading down my thighs, before I whispered in shock, more to me than anyone else "I'm having miscarriage."

* * *

**Authors Note****:**

**So here it is the next chapter! Please let me know what you think of it! **

**A BIG THANK YOU goes out to** **the mystery reviewers Little Wolf, klebekahlove and Elliex! Reading your reviews makes me really happy. :)**

**Although, I originally planned to not update another chapter this week, I just had to write this down when I came home this evening.**

**As always: ****_PLEASE REVIEW!_**


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer****: **

**The title of the story is taken from the song "Who you are" by "Jessie J".  
****I do not own the mentioned song all rights belong to their rightful owners.  
****Unfortunately, I do not own any of the characters nor do I own "the Originals" or "the Vampire Diaries" all rights belong to their rightful owners.**

* * *

_I breathed in sharply, clenched my teeth and placed one hand on my stomach as I tried to endure the pain._

_"__Bekah… you're bleeding." Nik pointed out worriedly as he knelt down beside me and placed one hand gently on my back._

_I looked down and saw blood spreading down my thighs, before I whispered in shock, more to me than anyone else "I'm having miscarriage."_

* * *

**Chapter 17**

No. No. No. This couldn't be true… No! I'm not losing my baby! Not again… No! This is not fair! All I've ever wanted was to be a mother! I only wanted to be a mother… I love this baby! I _deserve_ this baby! I've waited over a thousand years to have a child growing in me again! I love this baby more than anything… I can't lose it… I can't.

Why? Why is live always giving me the illusion of finally finding happiness just to rip it out of my hands in the next moment? What have I done to deserve this fate? I just wanted to be happy… Is that too much to ask for?

Hot tears continued to ran down my cheeks as I breathed in sharply again. The pain in my stomach was unbearable…

I suddenly felt how two different pairs of hands wrapped carefully around my forearms and attempted to pull me up, but I shook them off furiously and hissed bitterly "Leave me alone! _I hate you!_" as I looked at my brothers, who were kneeling at both of my sides on the floor.

Although I saw the expressions of hurt and sadness that my words caused up on their faces, I wasn't going to take it back. It was true. _I hated them_.

Nik just killed Jason. A man I was hopelessly in love with, even though I didn't realised it at first… and the possible father of my child. He ripped his heart out… The heart that was supposed to be meant for me just as much as my heart was supposed to be meant for him.

And Elijah promised me that he would not allow Nik to kill neither Jason nor Marcel. He gave me his word! And now… Jason… is… _dead_. Elijah is a liar! His word means nothing to me anymore!

Although Elijah seemed to be really hurt by my words he respected my order. He just kneeled silently beside me while he looked at me with sad and pitying eyes.

Nik however wasn't as patient as our elder brother. He roughly grabbed me by the forearm and pulled me up off the ground, before he shoved me to the front door.

"No! Let go off me! _I hate you!_" I screamed at him in both anger and pain, as I tried to get free of his tight grasp.

"You can I hate me as much as you want, Bekah, but I will not let you bleed to death because of your stubbornness." He said sternly with a hint of a mixture of hurt and anger in his voice as he continued to shove me to the front door.

* * *

_Four days later…_

I've spent two days in hospital, because of my miscarriage… Nik and Elijah often tried to talk to me, to explain themselves, to say how sorry they were for me, but I didn't listen to them. I ignored them. I refused to say a single word to them. I was still very angry at them.

Now I've been back home for two days and I've spend every single one of them in my room. I had no desire of having to look at my siblings and listen to their pathetic attempts to alleviate my anger. I didn't eat. I didn't drink. I just lay motionlessly on my bed and silently mourned my lost child and Jason, while I stared with an empty expression up at the ceiling. I felt tired and weak.

Of course my siblings tried to get me to drink and eat something, but I always sent them away. I didn't want their pity or their care or however they would call it. I just wanted to be left alone.

I felt like… time was frozen and I just wanted to turn back time to the moment where my baby was still alive, healthy and inside of me and where Jason was not dead.

Although most people, especially men, would not completely understand it, I had to mourn my lost child.

There was a teeny tiny being inside of me, whom I loved with all my heart. To whom I've read stories and had photos of. Someone I've waited for, for over a thousand years. And I could not stop but think about the future my child could never have.

My child would never know how beautifully blue the sky looked at day-time and how wonderful the stars would sparkle at night-time. It would never feel the warm sunrays on its face and it would never make its first steps and say its first word. It would never go to school and learn how to read and write. It would never graduate high school and go to college and university and start its own life. It would never feel its first real kiss and get married.

I would never get to know her or him…

There was someone growing inside of me, who was a part of me and whom I loved with all my heart. And now this teeny tiny person is gone… _forever_. And I am left behind, alone in this world without her or him…

I felt how a single tear ran down my cheek, as I continued to stare up at the ceiling.

In this moment, I heard a knock on my door.

I quickly wiped away the tear but didn't do anything else. I remained silent on my bed with my eyes fixed at the ceiling. Whoever it was on the other side of the door could burn in hell. I didn't want to talk to anyone.

"Bekah?" I heard Nik's voice asking, as he knocked again.

But I remained silent. I was still very angry at him.

I then heard how he slowly opened the door and walked over to my antique king size bed.

I could feel his pitiful look on me, as I tried to ignore him and stared with an empty expression at the ceiling.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw how he silently placed a tray on my antique bedside cabinet before he sat down on the edge my bed.

"… I know you hate me… and you have every right to do so. But you are still my little sister and I worry about you." He explained and although I could just see him out of the corner of my eye, the pain and sadness in his voice were enough for me to know that he was heartbroken.

After a moment he continued and said "You haven't drunk or eaten anything in two days… I brought you your favourite sweet and something to drink… You don't have to forgive me, just-… please, sister, eat and drink something."

I couldn't believe what I just heard. Nik used the word _please_. That was something remarkable. He would usually threaten people into doing what he wants, but he would never ask someone for something and more importantly he would never say _please_.

That little word made me forget my anger for a moment and my gaze wandered from the ceiling to the tray on my night cabinet. There really was my favourite sweet on the tray, crème brûlée. I decided that it wouldn't hurt to drink and eat a bit, I haven't had anything for two days and although I told myself that I didn't felt anything since I lost my child and Jason, I did feel really tired and weak.

As I tried to sit up, I realised how weak I was as I my arms began to tremble and I had great difficulties with holding up my own weight.

"Let me help you." Nik said quickly, before he helped me sit up and leaned me against the upper end of my bed.

I looked up into his bright blue eyes and saw that they were full with pity and worry.

Nik then took the tray off the night stand and placed it on my lap before he asked silently "Do you need help?"

I shook my head in response. I then slowly took a small water bottle that was standing on the tray and tried to open it. But it didn't work. After not sleeping or drinking or eating for two days I was too weak to open a simple water bottle. That was pathetic.

I suddenly began to miss the old me again… My old self had no problems with staying awake for days and could have easily coped with not drinking blood for a week. This was not fair… I wanted to be my old self again.

"Let me." Nik silently said after he observed my pathetic attempt to open the bottle for a moment.

After he easily opened the bottle and handed it back to me, I started to drink and realised how thirsty I've been. The way the transparent liquid ran down my dry throat felt just wonderful. When I was finished with drinking I started to eat and realised, after a moment, how much I've missed the feeling of food in my stomach.

* * *

When I was finished, Nik took the tray and was about to stand up and leave the room when I grasped his hand weakly and whispered, for the first time in four days, "Stay…"

I realised that I didn't want to be alone anymore. And although Nik could never completely understand what I was going through right then, I wanted him to stay with me.

My brother stopped immediately and turned around to see me looking up at him with pleading eyes. He then nodded put the tray back on the night cabinet and sat down beside me on the bed with his back leaned against the upper end of it. He carefully laid his arms around me before I leaned my head on his chest and wrapped my arms around him, while he rested his chin on my head.

I then inhaled his familiar scent… and that was all it took for me to start crying and letting it all out. All of my sadness and anger and pain about losing Jason and losing my baby. About killing someone. About being mortal. About everything that has happened in the last time.

As I started trembling and sobbed into his chest, I could feel how Nik started to hold me closer, gently stroked my back and softly kissed the top of my head while he whispered soothingly "Shhh… it's ok, love. I am here for you. _Always and forever_."

* * *

**Authors Note****:**

**Awww… I just love these two!**

**A BIG THANK YOU goes out to the mystery reviewers HermioneMalfoy, Little Wolf, Elliex and Yasmin12! Reading your reviews makes me really happy! :)**

**And an extra special THANK YOU goes out to the mystery reviewer Guest! I read your review over and over again, because it was just so perfect! Thank you for all of your nice words lovely human being! :)**

**Unfortunately I probably won't be able to update the next chapter any time soon, because I have a lot of exams to write in the next view weeks. :(**

**As always: ****_PLEASE REVIEW!_**


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer****: **

**The title of the story is taken from the song "Who you are" by "Jessie J".  
****I do not own the mentioned song all rights belong to their rightful owners.  
****Unfortunately, I do not own any of the characters nor do I own "the Originals" or "the Vampire Diaries" all rights belong to their rightful owners.**

* * *

_As I started trembling and sobbed into his chest, I could feel how Nik started to hold me closer, gently stroked my back and softly kissed the top of my head while he whispered soothingly "Shhh… it's ok, love. I am here for you. Always and forever."_

* * *

**Chapter 18**

I don't know for how long we have stayed like that, as I desperately sought comfort in my brother's presence, until the exhaustion took over and I eventually fell asleep.

* * *

As I awoke the next morning, I felt something strange… My pillow gently moved up and down with a steady but slow pace and felt much harder than it used to be. I slowly opened my I eyes as they tried to adjust to the warm sunrays of Louisiana's orange coloured morning sun that shone through my antique windows. As I slowly turned my head upwards, I saw the reason for the strange behaviour of my presumable pillow. My pillow was not my pillow, it was Nik.

My head was resting on his chest next to my forearm, while one of his arms was wrapped around my upper back with his hand gently resting on my delicate shoulder.

He didn't leave me like he would usually do. He stayed with me through the whole night… He comforted me… He soothed me… He protected me… _He was there for me_.

A soft smile appeared on my lips as I saw the soft expression on my big brother's face as he was peacefully asleep… and without realising it, I forgave him for what he has done to Jason.

Although I could never completely move on, I would eventually adapt to a life without him…

I realised that Nik was just trying to protect me when he did what he did to Jason. He did it because I was his family and he loved me. He didn't want anyone to harm me… How could I be angry at him because of that?

I would have done the same thing, if I would have been in his position. Because he is my family and I love him. _Always and forever_.

I was pulled out of my thoughts when Nik slowly opened his bright blue eyes as he awoke.

"Good morning, Nik." I greeted him quietly as my bright blue eyes stared up at him intensively.

He looked down at me before he smiled softly, gently stroked with his hand over my long, loosely curled, golden hair and asked with a hint of worry in his voice "How are you feeling, love?"

"Much better." I answered honestly.

It was true. I really did feel much better. I have slept for the first in two days. But it was not only the uninterrupted sleep that made me feel better, it was also the feeling of knowing that there is someone there for you. Someone who cares about you and loves you. Someone who tries to understand you and protects you. _Someone who is your family_.

Nik looked down at me for a moment longer with a soft smile on his face before he stroked with his hand over my head once again and said "Call me if you need anything." He then gently kissed the top of my head, before he lifted me off him so he could get up.

As he was about to walk to the door and leave the room I looked up at him and called him quietly "Nik…"

He turned around and looked at me, before I continued sincerely "…thank you, for staying with me."

He then smiled softly again, bend down to me and placed one hand gently on my delicate shoulder before he whispered convincingly "I will always stay with you, Bekah. No matter what."

I softly smiled up at him in response as he gently squeezed my shoulder before he withdrew his hand and left the room.

* * *

After I made myself ready for the day, I walked downstairs to our ground floor to make my breakie in the kitchen. However as I reached the ground floor I was stopped by the sound of a familiar voice calling me from behind.

"How are you feeling, sister?" my brother Elijah asked worriedly, as I turned around to see him standing a view feet away from me in the entrance.

"I'm fine." I answered honestly as I turned around to face him.

"Could I talk to you for a moment please?" he then asked with a serious look on his face.

"What's the matter, brother?" I asked curiously as I slowly walked over to him.

Although I have been angry at my elder brother for the past view days, for not stopping Nik from-… I wasn't angry at him anymore. If I could forgive Nik for-… I could also forgive Elijah for breaking his word.

"I owe you an apology..." Elijah started calmly, but I interrupted him.

"Elijah, you don't have to-" I said before I was cut off by him. That was something really unusual for my polite elder brother.

"I'm sorry. I promised you- _I gave you my word_… and I broke it. I let you down, again." He explained as I could clearly see the guilt he was feeling on his facial expression.

He paused for a moment before he took one step in my direction, placed his hands gently on my delicate shoulders and said sincerely "I am so sorry, sister. I will do everything I can to never let something like that happen again. I told you that you can rely on me and you still can. But please, sister, don't hate me anymore…"

My eyes went watery as I realised how much I have hurt him with my words… But I wasn't angry at him anymore. Nothing of what has happened was his fault. I knew that now.

I wrapped my arms around him in a hug while I explained quietly "No, I'm sorry. It was not your fault, Elijah."

I then felt how he carefully hugged me back, before he pulled back after a moment. He looked with a pitying expression down at me before he said "My deepest condolences… for both of your losses."

I gently nodded in response.

I don't know why… but it felt good to hear someone saying that. It felt good to feel that someone acknowledges not only the loss of Jason, but also the loss of my beloved little baby. _It felt good to hear it coming from my family_.

After a moment Elijah's expression turned serious and he explained "There is something else I need to tell you, sister." He paused for a moment before he went on and explained "There was a black mark on the back of Jason's hand. The same mark father Kieran had on his hand before he lost his senses and died… My guess is that he has been hexed, which would also explain his irrational behaviour."

Elijah paused again, before he continued "Now I know that this is hard for you, but do you know anyone who would have wanted to hex Jason? Did he have enemies? Because if he did not, it could have been another attempt of the witches to hurt this family…"

I was silent for a moment.

I still had to progress what Elijah just told me. My mind was full of unanswerable questions… Jason had been cursed? I knew that he would never hurt me on purpose, especially not when I was carrying his possible child, but… I didn't notice that he was cursed.

Who did that to him? Who would want Jason to suffer so much? Is Elijah's idea right? Was it just another attempt of our enemies to hurt this family?

But… what about the people Jason worked for? The people he spied for on my family... Jason quit. He refused to work for them anymore… Was that reason enough for them to hex him? As a kind of revenge? Who were those people? Why do they need information about my family? What do they want?

Should I tell Elijah what I know? About Jason's betrayal? Absolutely not. Elijah has never been exactly a fan of Jason and Jason was dead, it wouldn't be right to betray Jason, the man I loved, by spilling out his secret.

"I don't know, Elijah." I eventually lied to my elder brother.

Then another thought came to my mind… Where was Jason now? He wasn't lying on the floor of our entrance anymore, so where was he? I decided to simply ask Elijah about it.

"Where is his body?" I asked silently as I wasn't sure, if I even wanted to hear the answer to my question.

Elijah looked to the ground for a moment, before he looked back at me and explained slowly "I let him be buried on the Lafayette Cemetery. I didn't wanted to burden you with the all the paperwork. I wanted to let you mourn him in peace… please forgive me if I made a mistake by doing that."

I was relieved to hear that Jason could now rest in peace… What would I do without my thoughtful brother Elijah?

I shook my head in response before I looked back up at him and said convincingly "No, you made no mistake." I then moved up to his face by standing on my tiptoes, before I softly kissed him on the cheek and whispered "Thank you, Elijah."

I gave him a small grateful smile, before I turned around and walked to my original destination, the kitchen.

* * *

**Authors Note****:**

**So here it is, the next chapter. Please be so kind and let me know what you think of it!**

**A BIG THANK YOU goes out to the lovely mystery reviewers Little Wolf, HermioneMalfoy, Elliex and Rebeca! Reading your reviews makes me really happy and sweetens my day! :)**

**And because of that, I decided to update one more chapter before I go back to studying for my exams.**

**To answer the question of the lovely mystery reviewer Rebeca (which I only recently realised is also an unanswered question the lovely mystery reviewer** **yasmindb 12 asked in February):**

**No, unfortunately I can't speak the beautiful language Portuguese, but I can speak German, English, French and Spanish (hahaha I know I'm a little show-off, although my english isn't perfect). **

**However, I really appreciate it that you make yourself so much work with reviewing in a language that is not your first language, just like I make myself a lot of work with writing a story in language that is not my first language. **

**Thank you so much for your lovely review and the smart question! :)**

**I know this was a looong author's note and I am very sorry for it… just one last tip to all of my lovely readers: **

**If you feel uncomfortable with reviewing in English and would feel more comfortable with reviewing in German, French or Spanish I would have no problem with it. :) **

**As always: ****_PLEASE REVIEW!_**


	19. Chapter 19

**Song recommendation****:**

**"****Be Still" by "The Fray" ****(Play it during the cemetery scene if you'd like.)  
****"****Grace" by "Kate Havnevik" ****(Play it during the second scene in Rebekah's room if you'd like.)**

**Disclaimer****: **

**The title of the story is taken from the song "Who you are" by "Jessie J".  
****I do not own the mentioned songs all rights belong to their rightful owners.  
****Unfortunately, I do not own any of the characters nor do I own "the Originals" or "the Vampire Diaries" or "Private Practice" all rights belong to their rightful owners.  
****Some of the dialogue and action are taken from and inspired by the Private Practice episode "****And Then There Was One" (Season 5, Episode 19).**

* * *

**Chapter 19**

An hour later I was lying on our antique leather couch in our lounge as I was silently reading a book. I was trying to distract myself from everything that has happened with Jason and my baby. In that moment, Hayley entered the room with a plate of gherkin daubed with peanut butter in her hand while she rubbed her stomach with the other whilst having a content smile on her face.

"Hey, I heard about what happened… How are you doing?" The pregnant wolf asked worriedly as she saw me and sat down opposite to me on an antique armchair.

At first I was so shocked and disgusted by seeing what she was eating that I didn't realise that she said something. But after I've gotten over my shock and guessed that her unusual appetite is one of the so called 'pregnancy cravings' I replied friendly "I'm ok."

She nodded before she leaned back on the armchair and continued to eat the perverse combination of food on her plate.

While she did so, my gaze wandered down to her huge and beautiful baby bump and I couldn't help but think about the beautiful, healthy, living baby that was growing inside of her stomach. I couldn't help but think about how wonderful it must feel when the little baby girl in Hayley's stomach starts to kick and move… I couldn't help but think about the joy that the brunette was blessed with…

Suddenly I felt really angry at Hayley.

Why? Why does she get to have a fully, healthy, living baby growing in her stomach and I don't? How does it come that she deserves so much joy and love and I don't? What right does she have to be happy and I don't? Where is the justice in all of this?

_I deserve to be happy too!_

_I deserve it_ to have a fully, healthy, living baby growing in my stomach just as much as she does! _I deserve_ _joy_ and _love_ just as much as she does! _I deserve_ to be _happy_ just as much as she does!

All I have ever wanted was to be a mother… I've wanted to have a baby and be a mother for my entire life! I have waited for over a thousand years to finally have a child again! And she, the one who never wanted to have children, gets to have a fully, healthy baby! Where is the justice in this?

I do not deserve to be a mother just as much as she does, I deserve it much more than she does!

_I am the one_, who suffered for over the last thousand years! _I am the one_ whose first child got killed by my parents! _I am the one_, whose life is filled with misery and heartache…

So what makes her worthy of getting fulfilled my biggest wish in life?

My eyes turned watery and I looked at her with a bitter expression as I envied her for what she was blessed with.

"… Are you ok?" Hayley asked worriedly with a pitying expression as she noticed how I stared at her.

I didn't say anything. I just continued to stare at her.

"Look, Rebekah, I'm sorry for what happened…" She said with sympathy.

I didn't want her pity or hear how sorry she was! I didn't want anything from her! I just wanted her _gone_!

I couldn't bear her presence and her pitying look anymore. I got up off the couch and was about to storm out of the room as I stumbled over our 300 year old carpet and fell to the floor beside the couch. Fortunately I wasn't hurt or anything. But now I could see that there was a small black box lying under the couch.

"Oh my god, are you ok?" I heard the pregnant wolf girl asking in shock.

But I didn't answer her. I was too concentrated on my discovery. I reached for the box underneath the couch and pulled it out so that I could have a better look at it. I have seen this box before…

**-FLASHBACK-**

* * *

I was finally back home. I was leaning against the armrest of one of our antique leather couch in our lounge with my legs resting on the sofa cushion, while I was enjoying the warm silence of home. In that moment, I heard how someone entered the room and looked to one of the doors to discover it was Jason.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" He asked softly, as he walked over to me and sat on the coffee table in front of the sofa.

"I'm fine." I said with a small smile on my lips, as I admired his beautiful brown eyes.

It seemed like he was doing the same thing as I.

…

Then he looked deep into my eyes for a moment, before he said "Look, Rebekah, … I don't know how much you remember from the time you were on morphine, so I want to make sure that you know this." He said as he pulled a small black box out of his pocket and placed it in my hands. "I'm sorry, Rebekah. I'm so sorry for what happened to you… I shouldn't have left that evening… this is my fault." He said honestly as he looked to the ground.

"No, it's not." I said softly, before I placed my hand on his cheek and looked deep into his chocolate brown eyes, "It's not your fault Jason, you couldn't have known, no one could have. And I'm glad that you weren't there that evening, because if you would have been there you could be dead now, like all of those other vampires. And I can't lose you… I can't…" I whispered at the end before I kissed him softly.

He leaned forward until he was lying above me on the couch, while he deepened the kiss. I could feel how my heartbeat and my breathing started to accelerate as he placed his hands on my waist and hip, while he started to leave hot kisses on my delicate neck, as I dug my fingers into his soft brown hair. In the blink of an eye, I was lifted off the couch and found myself falling onto Jason's bed, with him on top of me. He smiled down at me, before he kissed me fiercely again, while I rapped my arms around his neck.

I felt his hot breath on my face as he asked "Are you sure you wanna do this?"

"Yes." I answered in a whisper, as I looked deep into his eyes, before I kissed him again.

* * *

**-END OF FLASHBACK-**

I sat up on the floor and slowly opened the small black box in my shaky hands as I tried to fight back the tears that threatened to roll down my face. There was a necklace. It contained of a silver string and a little silver heart with a lot of teeny tiny sparkling diamonds on it. _It was beautiful._

I stroked with my thumb over the little heart for a moment before I turned it over to look on its backside. There was something engraved on it… I squinted my bright blue eyes and read it…

_Meant to be_

Hot tears began to run down my face. I started to cry softly and trembled as I realised the meaning of the words…

**-FLASHBACK-**

* * *

I was lying in Jason's strong arms, with my head resting on his chest, while I wrapped my arms around his torso, as I awoke the next morning. The warm morning sun shone through the window, while the bright sunrays were tickling on my face. I looked up to see that Jason was already awake and staring down at me.

"Good morning sleepy head." He said with a deep sexy voice.

"Are you one of those creeps that watch women while they're sleeping?" I asked him jokingly.

"Only when they're as beautiful as you." He murmured into my ear with a smile on his lips.

I tried to hide my own smile, before I turned my head to admire the reflection of the sunrays in his beautiful brown eyes. I could admire it all day… a moment later I kissed him softly.

"I made breakfast." Jason said with a charming smile, as he pointed with his head to the tray on the nightstand next to the bed. There were two mugs on it, as well as a plate with waffles, syrup and a bowl filled with strawberries.

"When did you have time to make breakfast?" I asked him with a smile on my lips.

"Well… you have a deep sleep, you know?" Jason answered teasingly.

I just raised my eyebrows in response, before Jason took the two mugs on the tray and handed one over to me. I looked at the liquid inside, and wondered what it was. It looked a bit like coffee, but didn't really smell like coffee. I looked over to Jason, who already took a sip of the liquid and decided to try it as well. I couldn't really describe the taste, but it was delicious. "mmmmhh… this is good, what is this?" I asked him curiously.

"Coffee and tea." Jason simply answered.

"Coffee and tea?" I asked confusedly.

"Yes, a wise old friend of mine taught me how to make it, as I lived in India. To be honest, I was really sceptic at first too, but it's really good." Jason said with a smile, "He called his creation "meant to be"." He added.

"Meant to be?" I asked him mockingly.

"Yeah, just like you and me." He said, while he looked deep into my eyes, before he softly kissed me.

* * *

**-END OF FLASHBACK-**

I suddenly felt how someone touched my shoulder and heard a familiar, concerned voice asking "Bekah, what's wrong? Are you hurt?"

I forced myself to stop crying and wiped away the tears on my face before I looked up to my side to see Nick kneeling beside me with a concerned look on his face.

_Great_. Hayley just had to call out for my big brother, didn't she? Can't that bloody, abnormally lucky, pregnant wolf, who is incapable of getting out of a chair by herself with her huge baby bump, just stay out of my business?

But I didn't say anything. I was silent while Nik just looked into my blue eyes as he searched in them for any indication for what was wrong with his own blue ones.

I felt so guilty for how I've treated Jason during the time before he died… I have wasted our last moments together with pushing him away instead of forgiving him for his betrayal and enjoying the time we had left together… all because of my bloody stubbornness.

After a moment, I slowly and silently got back on my feet while Nik did the same with one hand around my upper arm and the other carefully placed on my upper back and a concerned look on his face, he probably feared that I would collapse or something...

When we were back on our feet, I looked up at him and gave him a look that said 'I don't need your help', before I silently went to my room. I just wanted to be left alone…

* * *

_3 hours later…_

I didn't know how much time I've spend in my room… I just knew that I've spend the time with laying sadly on my bed with watery eyes while my hand gently rubbed over the silver necklace on my neck as I remembered the time with Jason and made myself self-accusations over his death and about not realising sooner how I truly felt about him…

Suddenly I heard a knock on my door but didn't answer it. I felt so awful and guilty… I just wanted to be left alone.

However the person that was standing on the other side of the door seemed to not get that as the door was slowly opened and I heard a very familiar voice asking carefully "Are you ok?" as Nik entered the room and sad down on my bed.

"Just leave me alone…" I whispered quietly with a shaky voice without looking at him as I tried to fight back the tears that threatened to fall out of my eyes because of all the guilt I was feeling.

"No." he simply said before he took my small hand in his and said convincingly "Bekah, I told you that I'm there for you this morning. I still mean it. So just tell what's wrong…"

The feeling of his hand on mine made me feel a bit stronger and soothed me. So I tried to blink away my tears and explained him everything that just happened. Well… not everything, but everything concerning Jason, the necklace and my self-accusations over his death and not telling him that I love him.

When I was finished, Nik hugged me for a moment and told me how sorry he was for me and that I shouldn't blame myself for what happened. But as he did so, I couldn't help but notice that Nik seemed to be bothered by the necklace. At first I didn't understand why… I knew that he was angry at Jason because of the baby, but… wasn't he happy for me that Jason truly loved me?

But then it made click in my head and I understood why. Nik has always been very possessive of me and although to me the necklace was a sign for Jason's love for me, to my brother it was a sign for that I belonged to Jason. Which was completely ridiculous because Jason was-… _gone_. And I didn't belong to anyone anyway. But then my brother did always react a bit fussy when it came to me.

However, although I really cared about my big brother and his feelings were important to me, I wouldn't put the necklace off just so that he would feel better. I would never take it off. It was the only thing I had left of Jason…

Perhaps visiting his grave would help me with my guilt…

After a moment, I looked with my bright blue eyes determined up at my brother and said "I'm going to Jason's grave."

He sighed before he looked back at me for a moment with an understanding look in his bright blue eyes. He gently stroked with one hand over my golden head and said "Fine. But I'm coming with you."

I nodded in response. I knew that arguing about this would be useless because there was no way Nik would let me leave the compound alone.

He then stood up and looked back at me with a pitying look before he said "Tell me when you're ready to leave." He then left the room.

* * *

An hour later, we were at the Lafayette Cemetery. It was evening and already dark outside, the grave lights that decorated the different tombs made the cemetery appear a great deal more moody than it actually was. We were standing in front of Jason's sealed tomb. It was situated between some other much older tombs, family and single tombs, and was decorated with candles, red grave lights and beautiful flowers. It was beautiful.

I took a few steps forward and added some grave lights of my own and some flowers to the others, before my gaze wandered up to the large marble tombstone that had Jason's name engraved on it, as well as his date of death and an inscription.

_With death life ends,_

_but love does not._

Tears of sorrow filled my eyes and I placed my shaky hands on the tombstone and leaned my head on it as I thought about the meaning of these words and of how true they were… Although Jason was dead I still loved him… _We were meant be_.

And instead of realising it sooner, I've wasted his last moments in this world with pushing him away… Three days before he died he told me that he loves me for the second time… and I still didn't say it back. And now it's too late… I've wasted my only true chance of finally finding real happiness because of my bloody stubbornness…

As I started to cry softly I felt someone's comforting hand gently and silently resting on my upper back. It was Nik's. I didn't have to turn around to know it. His gentle touch soothed me and after a moment I stopped crying. And although it felt good that he was here to help me through this tough time, I felt the need to be alone with Jason for a moment.

I pulled my head and hands back from the cold headstone, wiped away my tears and turned around to face my big brother. "Could you give me a moment, please?" whispered with a still shaky voice as I looked up at him with my damp, blue eyes.

I knew that he didn't feel comfortable at the thought of letting me out of his sight, especially considering all of what happened in the last two months… But after he looked down at me for a moment and understood how important this was for me, he took a look at our surroundings, to make sure that no one was around and that it was safe, before he nodded. He then gently stroked with one hand over my soft, golden head and softly kissed my forehead before he said "I'll be back in a few minutes." Before he left.

A moment later, I turned around to look back at Jason's headstone. I still felt very guilty for what happened… I don't know why and I wasn't sure if he could hear me, but I felt the need to explain myself. "… Jason?" I said with a sad voice as I held the little silver heart around my neck in my hand. After a moment, I sighed and said "I don't know if you can hear me from the other side… but if you're listening, I want you to know that I'm sorry, Jason." I paused for a moment, swallowed and then continued "I've lost the baby… I'm so, so sorry for that too."

The tears threatened to roll out of my eyes at the thought of my beloved, lost baby… but I tried my best not to cry and went on with a very shaky voice and my free hand placed on his cold headstone "I've wasted our last moments with pushing you away… that was a huge mistake and I know that now. We could have been happy together, you know? We could have been so happy, if I just wouldn't have been so stubborn…" Tears of sorrow rolled down my face as I whispered "I miss you… I- I love you." After I have made my confession I started crying and sank to my knees with my shaky hand still placed on the cold headstone.

After a moment, I heard suddenly a man's voice asking "Are you ok?"

Startled by the foreign voice, I forced myself to stop crying and tried to calm myself down before I wiped away my tears and said with a shaky voice "I'm fine, just go away."

But the stranger didn't leave as I heard him approaching me.

What is wrong with the people? Why do they always have to get involved in other people's business? Can't they just let me grieve in peace? I thought as I stood up and turned around to find the stranger standing right in front of me. _A bit too close for my liking_. Of course I would have taken a step back if there wouldn't have been Jason's tomb.

The stranger was tall and although it was already dark, the grave lights made it possible to see that he had brunette hair and brown eyes, just like Jason had. But there was also something sad in his eyes… He has probably lost someone too, considering that we are on a cemetery.

"You don't look fine…" He said as he stared down at me, which made me feel really uncomfortable considering how close he was and that he was a stranger. After a moment he continued and said "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop on you but I overheard you talking earlier. Did you know him?" He nodded towards Jason's tomb behind me.

"Well, if you've 'overheard' me then you wouldn't have to ask me this question, wouldn't you?" I said trying to sound as arrogantly as I could in that moment.

"Right. I just thought it would make you feel uncomfortable to hear that I used my vampire hearing and heard you talking about your miscarriage and that you're in love with my brother." He answered very directly, before he said "I'm Ethan."

I was shocked and speechless. I had to process the information I just heard. Ethan was Jason's _brother_? I knew that Jason had a brother, but he only mentioned him once as he told me the story of how he was turned, so I guessed that they had no contact anymore.

I was pulled out of my thoughts as Ethan asked "And you are?"

"Rebekah, pleasure I'm sure." I said trying to sound arrogant again after I got over my shock.

"Well, Rebekah, from what I heard I assume that you were my brother's girlfriend, so let me ask you a question. How exactly did my brother die?" He asked directly with a serious but also sad expression at the end.

I was silent for a moment. What should I tell him? He was Jason's brother and he had a right to know how his brother died, but… I couldn't just tell him that my brother killed his brother, could I?

However before I could find a proper answer, Nik suddenly appeared beside me in the blink of an eye and shoved Ethan with his hand a view steps back before he warned him with a lethal glare "Keep your distance, mate."

"And who you are you?" Ethan asked my brother as he threw the same glare back at him.

It was impossible to not feel the tension between the two of them, so I tried to defuse the situation and said quickly "He's my brother, he knew Jason too. Nik, this is Jason's brother Ethan."

"I'm sorry for your loss, but I'm afraid we have to go now." Nik said with his eyes fixed on Ethan and a hint of anger in his voice, which showed that he was obviously not sorry for Ethan's loss. Nik then grabbed me tightly by the wrist and pulled me with him as he left the cemetery.

The tight grip around my wrist made me wince, which caused my brother to loosen his grip and look at me with an apologetic look in his blue eyes.

* * *

When I was back home, I thought about what I said to Jason and how it helped me with my mourning to be at his grave. That led me to the decision to make a shrine in my room for my beloved lost baby.

I emptied the top of one of the antique commodes in my room and decorated it with a lot of candles and a few flowers before I laid the storybook, from which I've read to my baby for several times, down on it. I then kissed each one of my ultrasound photos and placed them in the middle, while I could feel tears of sorrow rolling down my cheeks.

Although I never got to know my baby, I missed her or him. I missed the feeling of knowing that you are never alone. That there is always someone inside of you, who loves you and who you love in return with all your heart. Someone, who is a part of you. Not only biologically but also emotionally.

I felt like I have lost a part of me and I knew that I would never get it back…

* * *

A while later, I went downstairs to have something for supper. As I descended the stairs I saw Hayley coming through the front door. My gaze automatically wandered to her big baby bump and I started to feel all of that anger and jealousy I've felt earlier this day again.

"Rebekah, hey. It's good that I see you, I wanted to talk to you about earlier." She said as I reached the bottom of the stairs and stood a few feet away from her.

I felt so angry at her, for this outrageous injustice that she gets to have a fully healthy baby while I lost mine. But I did my best to control myself and not make a scene or something.

"I'm sorry for your loss, but I think you need a plan. You need to figure out-" She started.

"Don't you dare stand there and tell me what I need." I interrupted her warningly trying with all my power to sound as calm as possible. "Don't you dare." I repeated as calmly as I possibly could with all of that _anger_ and _jealousy_ inside of me, of which I was sure, was despite my efforts to not show it still audible in my voice.

Hayley went quiet and just silently looked at me with a pitying look in her eyes while she listened.

"My life has turned into a horror show. And all I can do is stand back and watch it play out." I paused with watery eyes and then went on "My baby is dead. Dead. All I've ever wanted for over the last thousand years was to be a mother and now my baby is dead." I explained as I still desperately fought back the tears and all of the emotions I was feeling in that moment.

"I am so, so sorry." Hayley said with pity and guilt in her eyes as she took a step towards me.

"S- Stop it!" I screamed at her. "Just don't look at me with your pity and guilt, I can't take it anymore." I told her as I still tried so hard to sound as calm as I could in this situation.

"Every time I look at you, I see that perfect, healthy baby in your stomach and the love you have. And you _smile_ and _rub with your hand over stomach_. And all of that joy makes me want to _scream and claw your eyes out_ _and rip that child out of your stomach._ I am _so_ angry at you …and _jealous_ of you! Of this- life. This- This _dream_ of a life you have, I _wish_ I could be happy for you but I _can't_. I can't because I _hate you_, Hayley." I explained as I was about to cry and desperately fought back my tears but could no longer control all the emotions I was feeling.

"_I hate you_ and I don't have room for that on top of all the _bitterness_ and _pain_ that is bearing me every single day. I don't- _I have no more room._" I cried with bitter tears rolling down my cheeks as I could no longer fight them back.

I tried to calm myself down a bit again for a second before I looked into her eyes and continued "I don't know if I'm going to make through this …but I know I can't do it with you around." I paused again and then went on "So you need to stay the bloody hell away from me …Just go away."

But she didn't. She just stood there silently with an apologetic look on her face.

"_Leave!_" I cried out like a vulnerable child as I felt how the tears started to roll out of my eyes again.

Hayley just said nothing, turned around and left through the same front door she just entered.

When she shut the door behind her, I tried to take long deep breaths to calm myself but failed because I was just so angry and in so much pain.

* * *

**Author's Note****:**

**So here it is the next chapter. Although I know I should really spend my time with learning instead of writing this, I just had to find time to write this down.**

**A BIG THANK YOU goes out to the lovely reviewers "rebeca. w. souza", "chail" and "Jade1511" as well as the lovely mystery reviewers "Little Wolf", "Elliex", "KlebekahLove" and "HermioneMalfoy". Reading your reviews really motivates me and sweetens my day. :D**

**As always: **_**PLEASE REVIEW!**_


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer****: **

**The title of the story is taken from the song "Who you are" by "Jessie J".  
****I do not own the mentioned song all rights belong to their rightful owners.  
****Unfortunately, I do not own any of the characters nor do I own "the Originals" or "the Vampire Diaries" all rights belong to their rightful owners.**

* * *

**Chapter 20**

In the next morning, I was standing in the kitchen as I made myself some tea for breakie. It was very early and the first bright orange sunrays just started to shine through the antique, vintage windows.

I was feeling very tired. I didn't have had much sleep last night. I couldn't stop thinking about my argument with Hayley… Have I made a mistake? Shouldn't I have thrown her out? I knew that it was wrong to kick out a pregnant woman, but… I just couldn't live with her in this mansion. I knew that it was selfish, but… she was a living reminder of my baby's death. My second dead baby… I knew that I could never recover from it with her around… I just had to get her out of my sight. There was no other way...

And it wasn't like she had nowhere else to go anyway. She had been switching between living here and with her pack in the bayou the whole time. She probably went to live with them again.

"You kicked out Hayley!?" I heard a very familiar and upset voice loudly accusing me as I turned to the entrance of the kitchen to see my very furious brother Elijah storming into the kitchen and grinding to a halt in front of me.

As I looked up at him and saw how furious he was I felt even guiltier. I didn't mean to upset Elijah or to make his relationship with the pregnant wolf girl even more complicated. I just wanted her out of my sight…

"Elijah, I-" I started apologetically but he cut me off.

"NO! How could you kick her out? The woman I love! The woman that makes me happy! With whom I wanted to have a life with! " He bawled at me. His voice filled with anger, pain and disappointment.

"I'm sorry. I-" I tried to apologize with teary eyes but was cut off by him again. I felt so bad for what I have done... I didn't mean to hurt my big brother and I didn't want him to be angry at me. I just-... I wanted her huge baby bump, the constant reminder of what I have lost, out of my sight.

"NO! Spare me your pathetic apologies! I expect such _reckless_ behaviour from Niklaus, but it's so very disappointing when it comes from you, Rebekah!" He bawled at me in rage and disappointment again before he turned on his heel and stormed out of the kitchen.

"Elijah, wait!" I begged him as I fought back my tears of guilt and ran after him out of the kitchen.

As I did so, I briefly noticed Nik leaning on the antique door case of our kitchen with his arms crossed over his chest and an expression on his face as if he was deep in thought while he simultaneously observed my argument with Elijah.

I managed to overtake Elijah in our lounge and stepped in front of him with my hands pressed against his chest in an attempt to stop him from running away.

"Please, just let me explain myself…" I begged him desperately as I looked up at him with large, watery, blue eyes.

He silently looked at me for a moment before he calmed down a bit and said "Fine. Explain yourself."

"I didn't mean to hurt you or destroy your happiness, brother. I-… I just wanted Hayley out of my sight, because every time I looked at her, she reminded me of my miscarriage and of how I've lost another child again." I explained frantically as I tried _so_ hard to fight back my tears.

"You deserve _happiness_, Elijah. I never meant to rob you of the chance to find it… It's just-…" I assured him with a shaky voice, before I sighed and continued.

"… I cannot find peace with her around… _I'm sorry_." I whispered apologetically as I noticed how the look on my brother's face softened.

"What did you mean with of how you've lost _another_ child?" Elijah asked carefully after a moment.

I mentally slapped myself for not keeping my mouth shut. I totally forgot that my siblings didn't know about my pregnancy a thousand years ago. Everyone believed that I was still a virgin back then. But I also realised that there were enough secrets between us and that keeping this one wouldn't make things easier.

I took a deep breath before I looked up at him and started to explain reluctantly "… A thousand years ago, when we were all still human… I was in love with one of the werewolves in our village. And after a while I… realised that I was pregnant with his child."

"What?..." Elijah asked in a mixture of confusion and shock. "Why didn't you tell me? I would have helped you, Rebekah." He asked.

"I-… I don't know. I just found out and I was so scared and happy at the same time, but I also knew that father would never approve of it and before I could decide on what to do, our parents turned us. And when I died… my child died with me." I explained frantically with a high, shaky voice as I could no longer hold back my tears.

"Come here." Elijah whispered soothingly before he pulled me into a hug and rested his chin on the top of my golden head.

"I'm sorry for robbing you of your happiness." I whispered sadly as I sobbed quietly into his soft suit jacket.

"Shhh… its ok, sister. I'll find a way to repair my relationship with Hayley again. You did not rob me of anything." He whispered soothingly as he gently rubbed with his hand over my upper back and placed a soft kiss on the top of my golden head.

When I stopped sobbing, he slowly pulled back and looked down at me for a moment before he wiped away my tears and whispered "I'm sorry for screaming at you earlier."

I nodded and whispered forgivingly "It's ok."

"Awww… Now isn't this heart-warming? My dear siblings made up again." Nik commented in an obviously faked touched tone as he slowly walked from the kitchen door into the lounge, where Elijah and I were standing.

As we turned to him, his face turned dark and serious and he continued "However it seems like the loyalties of one of you have shifted." Nik then threw a lethal glare at Elijah before he suddenly vamp-speeded to him and plunged a dagger into his chest.

Elijah groaned in pain and desperately gasped for air as the cold dagger impaled his warm heart.

"Hayley is _mine_. I will not let my child, _my blood_, grow up to call you father." Niklaus warned Elijah with a deadly voice.

My good brother looked at Niklaus in shock while he slowly turned grey and sank to his knees.

"NO! Elijah!" I cried out in a mixture of shock and worry as I tried to get past Nik and pull the dagger out.

But the hybrid easily grabbed me from behind and dragged me away from our older brother while I furiously lashed about in his arms and screamed "NO! Let go off me! NOO!"

He then let go off me for the fracture of a second before he turned me around in a blink of an eye to face him, held me in place by my delicate shoulders and warned me with a serious, deep, intimating voice "Bekah, I don't want to hurt you but if you try again to pull out that dagger, you will leave me no other choice."

Even though I was scared of him, I looked up at him with wet, fierily eyes filled with rage while I desperately tried to get free of his painful grasp. When I gave up and realised that it was no use, my worried gaze wandered to my good brother, who was nearly completely grey and looking at us with a storm of emotions in his brown eyes before he eventually fell to the floor and let his eyelids fall shut.

A single tear ran down my cheek as I looked at my desiccated, unconscious older brother, before my gaze wandered back to the wicked brother in front of me.

"How could you!?" I screamed at him with watery, blue eyes and a trembling chin.

"He was no longer on the side of our family. He was more loyal to Hayley than he ever was to me. If _I_ wouldn't have stopped him now, he would have run off with _my child!_" Niklaus justified himself angrily.

I couldn't believe his reasoning. He daggered Elijah because of some pathetic, paranoid notion of Elijah running away with Hayley and the child? That was nonsense! Elijah has been loyal to Nik for over a thousand years! He always stayed by his side and believed in his redemption no matter what! He never gave up on Niklaus! This wasn't fair! Elijah certainly didn't deserve this!

"Do you listen to yourself!? You daggered _our brother_ because of your bloody paranoia!" I exclaimed reproachfully as I tried to fight back my tears.

"_You_ are the one who is no longer loyal to this family… _not him_." I judged as I tried to sound as calm and superior as I possibly could in the situation.

As I saw how my brother's expression and the look in his eyes changed, I knew that my words hit home.

He then slowly loosened his painful grip around my delicate shoulders before I gave him one last lethal glare and turned on my heel to storm off. I actually wanted to storm out of the mansion but I knew that there was no way Nik would let that happen, so I decided to head upstairs to my room instead.

* * *

**Author's Note****:**

**So here it is the next chapter. I am so, so sorry for the delay but I have to study a lot for school at the moment and thus have less time for writing. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Please be so kind as to leave a review!**

**I know that this is already a long story and that I like to include events of older chapters in the new ones, so I just thought it would be nice to mention that I wrote about Rebekah's pregnancy as a human in a flashback in chapter 6. :)**

**A BIG THANK YOU goes out to the lovely reviewers "jackiepriinzee. perezz" and "rebeca. w. souza" as well as the lovely mystery reviewers "Little Wolf", "Elliex","HermioneMalfoy" and "yasmin12". Reading your reviews really motivates me and sweetens my day. :D**

**As always: ****_PLEASE REVIEW!_**


	21. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer****: **

**The title of the story is taken from the song "Who you are" by "Jessie J".  
****I do not own the mentioned song all rights belong to their rightful owners.  
****Unfortunately, I do not own any of the characters nor do I own "the Originals" or "the Vampire Diaries" or "Grey's Anatomy" all rights belong to their rightful owners.  
****Some of the dialogue and action are taken from and inspired by the "Grey's Anatomy" episode "Where The Boys Are" (Season 3, Episode 07) and the "The Originals" episode "Ashes to Ashes" (Season 2, Episode 22) as well as the "The Originals" episode "Farewell to Storyville" (Season 1, Episode 16).**

* * *

**Chapter 21**

It was evening. I've spend the whole day in my room, worrying about Elijah. But I didn't only stay in my room because I was so worried about Elijah, I also stayed in my room because I had no desire to even look at Niklaus. He _daggered_ Elijah without a sufficient reason! How could he? I was _so_ angry at my evil brother. I thought we were past this whole daggering stuff…

Poor Elijah… he was lying in a box somewhere with a cold dagger in his heart in this very moment. I knew too well how he must feel right now… the emptiness, the bone-crushing loneliness, the giant all-consuming darkness… it was as if you were trapped in your own body… a bit as if you were in a coma, but with the difference that you could still hear and feel small fractures of the world around you…

I had to do something. I couldn't just sit here and do nothing. Elijah needed me; I couldn't just let him down no matter what Niklaus might do when he finds out.

I got up and walked out of my room to start searching the house from the top to the bottom for Elijah's coffin. But as I walked into the corridor, on the other side of the door to my room, I saw the one person of all people I wanted to see the least at this moment, walking towards me down the hall.

I stopped immediately as I saw him and threw a lethal glare filled with anger and hatred to him while he just blithely walked over to where I was standing with a satisfied smile on his lips.

"Ah, sister, finally stopped pouting I see? Well it's good that I see you. I just wanted to let you know that I made myself some recruits, which means that I want _you_ to not talk to them. I don't need my little sister making my army question my leadership." He started blithely, which then turned into a dark, serious voice at the end.

First he daggers Elijah and now he starts making new vampire recruits for his army!? Seems like my brothers paranoia has finally taken over…

I looked up at him with a challenging glare before I said dismissively "Don't worry, Niklaus. I have no interest in manipulating your pathetic bunch of baby vampires. I'm sure they'll learn soon enough how you treat people, who are loyal to you."

Again I could see how my words hit home. Niklaus look went down for a moment and I think I saw a hint of remorse in his eyes as he heard how I referred to Elijah at the end.

Niklaus was well aware of that I hated him and I think it troubled him more than he'd let to show from the outside. But then again why should _I_ care about how _he_ felt? _He_ was the one who daggered Elijah. He was the _offender_, not the victim.

"If you'd excuse me now, I have things to do." I said arrogantly with a hint of anger in my voice before I continued to walk towards the stairs and search for Elijah.

However, the hybrid stopped me by blocking my way with his arm pressed on the wall next to me, before he leaned forward from my other side and whispered with a dark, intimidating voice into my ear "Just in case you didn't get it the last time, little sister. Should you even attempt to pull the dagger out of our brother's heart, I will punish you. And since you're mortal now there are much more creative ways of making you suffer."

A cold shiver ran down my spine and I had to swallow as I heard his words… Nik always knew how to threaten me into doing what he wants… but not this time. No. I will not let down Elijah, no matter how many threats my evil brother places at me.

"Understood?" he whispered into my ear with the same dark voice, after a moment of silence.

Another shiver ran down my spine. I remained silent for a brief moment before I turned my head to look up at him with an angry look in my eyes and reluctantly forced the words "Yes, understood." over my tongue.

Nik then gave me a satisfied smile before he withdrew his arm and allowed me to leave.

I gave him one last lethal glare filled with anger and a hint of fear, of what he might do to me once I have undaggered Elijah, before I continued on my way to the ground floor.

* * *

Niklaus had left a view hours ago, saying that he had some "business" to do. I, of course, took the opportunity to search for Elijah's coffin. But I had to do it very discretely because of all the new baby vampires that were running around on the ground floor.

I've spend the last 5 hours searching as discretely as possible for my good brother's coffin. I've searched in nearly every room of our mansion and found _nothing_. It was frustrating… Where did my bloody, paranoid, backstabbing, evil brother hid Elijah!?

I was about to go and start searching in one of the last remaining rooms as I heard a knock on the front door.

Was Niklaus already back? But why would he knock then?

There was no one who would dare to come to our home, everyone knew that there was war between us and the witches and we weren't on good terms with the werewolves too. This means that it must be some unimportant lost tourist.

In the past I would have been happy about every convenient snack that walked through my door. But now it was different. I didn't need to drink from humans anymore and the thought of it made me feel uncomfortable. I was mortal now myself and every time I thought of how I drained countless of innocent people in the past, I couldn't help but get reminded of how I felt when that creepy vampire tried to drain me of blood a while ago…

There was another knock on the front door again.

'Can't these tourists go bother someone else?' I thought as I rolled my eyes and sighed in annoyance before I walked over to the door and opened it.

To my surprise it wasn't a lost tourist, who was standing on the other side of our threshold. _It was Ethan_. Jason's brother, whom I've met yesterday on the cemetery in front of Jason's grave. This guy had a really bad timing. I had no time for chit chat. I needed to find Elijah. And how did Ethan know where I lived anyway?

"Ethan." I greeted him dismissively.

"Is that how you greet a guest?" he asked jokingly.

"How do you know where I live?" I asked with a stern voice.

"Your family is pretty famous, especially here in New Orleans. It wasn't very hard to find out where the _great Mikaelsons_ live." He answered with a smirk.

"What do you want?" I asked impolitely with a serious expression as I looked at the tall brunette.

It was obvious that he wanted something, why else would he come here?

"Well, I thought since we were interrupted yesterday that it would be nice to continue our conversation." He answered with a smile on his lips that didn't reach his brown eyes and a hint of anger in his voice.

"I think last time you were just about to tell me how my dear, little brother died." Ethan said with a dark voice.

And there I had my reason. He wanted to find out how his brother died. I was somehow lucky that Niklaus interrupted Ethan and me on the cemetery yesterday; it helped me avoiding the answer to the question of how Jason died. But now I saw no way of avoiding the answer to his question without letting him know that I didn't want to tell him what he wanted to know.

The main reason why I didn't want Ethan to know how Jason died was because I didn't know how he would react if I told him that my brother killed his brother.

"So?" Ethan asked impatiently and narrowed his eyes after I was quiet for a while.

I looked up at him with wide eyes while my mind was frantically searching for a good lie.

"Uhm… you know… uhm…" I started slowly as I was trying to buy me some more time.

"I'm sorry; I actually have no time right now. I have some… business to do. So… uhm… Goodbye, Ethan." I quickly excused myself before I closed the door.

However Ethan reacted fast and put his food in the doorway.

"I'm sure you can find a view more minutes to answer my question." Ethan said in a faked polite tone accompanied with an evil smirk on his lips.

I felt really uncomfortable by then and even a bit of scared… What was I supposed to tell him?

"Is everything ok here?" One of Niklaus' baby vampires asked as he appeared behind me.

"Yes, everything's fine. The young man was just about to leave." I said with a serious voice while I looked with an acid expression at Ethan.

Ethan shook his head in frustration and withdrew his foot before he answered angrily "Fine. I will find out how he died one way or another." Before he turned around and left.

"Are you ok?" Niklaus' lackey asked before I turned around to look at him.

"Don't you have anything to do? Go serve my brother." I said in an arrogant and annoyed tone, before he nodded shortly and left.

I knew that I should have been grateful for his help, but just as always, I was too proud to admit that I had needed any help in the first place.

* * *

It was already night. I've spend the last hours searching the rest of our mansion for Elijah's coffin, but found nothing. I was really disappointed and felt bad for not being able to help my older brother out of his predicament, but most of all I felt exhausted. I walked into our lounge with the intention to lie down a bit on the couch as I saw _him_. I immediately stopped in my tracks.

Marcel was standing in our lounge and turned to look at me with wide eyes and a look I could not completely interpret. There was a mix of emotions in his dark brown eyes as he saw me. He somehow looked shocked, happy and sad at the same time.

"Rebekah…" Marcel said with a soft voice as he looked into my blue eyes.

"What are you doing here?" I asked confused. Marcel couldn't be here. If Niklaus comes home and finds him here he would most likely kill him… My evil brother wasn't on the best terms with the vampire, who was standing a view feet in front of me, since he found out that my child could have been Marcel's…

"Your brother brought me here to help him with his new vampire army. I hope that's ok with you?" Marcel explained without breaking the eye contact.

His look made me feel strange… I wanted to kiss him and hold him in my arms and let him know that I still held feelings for him, but at the same time I hated him and wanted to hit him for teaming up with my evil brother and for not showing up for so long.

"Rebekah… I've heard about the baby… I'm sorry." Marcel said after a moment with a soft voice and sympathy in his eyes as he slowly walked over to me.

I heard Marcel's words, but I couldn't help but wonder if he was blaming for what happened… I mean, after all I was the mother of what could have been his child. It was my duty to protect our baby no matter what… and I failed at the task…

Now my - or our - little girl or boy was dead and it was my entire fault…

Just when I thought I was beginning to recover from what happened, I get reminded of it again. There's a lull and then another wave of sadness, grieve and pain hits me… but recently I felt like the distance between the waves was growing…

I got pulled out of my thoughts as Marcel probably noticed the sad look on my face and caused my skin to prickle by taking my delicate hand his much larger one before he placed the other gently on the side of my neck, turned his head down slightly to look deep into my blue eyes and said "This is probably not the right time… But I've missed you. When we last spoke you said that you needed time to choose between me and Jason. I know that you must feel sad about his death… I just wanted to let you know that-"

Marcel was interrupted by an angry looking Niklaus, who dragged the handsome vampire away from me, before he turned to him and snarled at him "Remember what the condition of this alliance was, Marcellus? You do not _look_ at her, you do not _talk_ to her, and most importantly, you do not _touch_ her." The hybrid paused for a second as it seemed like he tried to control his anger again before he continued warningly with a dark, strained voice "Betray me one more time and I will show you no mercy."

He then let go of Marcellus before the vampire looked at him with a rebellious and angered look in his eyes before he reluctantly left.

My evil brother then turned to me with a serious look in his eyes and said intimidatingly "I'd advise you to not make the same mistake Elijah did." He then turned on his heel and went upstairs.

I swallowed after he was gone. Since Elijah was gone Niklaus was even more frightening than he had been before… I didn't like it. He made me feel powerless… as if I had no choice but to do as he pleased.

But then I reminded myself of that now was not the time for self-pity. I still haven't found Elijah and now that my evil brother was back home, I had to be even more careful on my search.

My gaze wandered around the room and set on one door in the hallway. The door to the corridors underneath our mansion, where Niklaus had tortured the vampire, who attacked me a while ago and, of course, where I had killed him…

It was the only part of the mansion where I haven't searched for Elijah yet, so he had to be down there. I walked quietly over to the door, while I made sure that no one was around to watch me. I then slowly opened the old door causing it to creak. As it did so, I quickly looked around to make sure that no one got alarmed by the noise, before I stepped into the basement and tried to close the old, creaking door as quietly as possible behind me.

Just like the rest of our compound, the cellar was very old. The paint on the old brick walls was crumbling and there were no electric lights, only torches and candles that dipped the dark, old corridor system underneath our compound into a dim light. My siblings and I were the only ones, who knew about the cellar and could walk through the corridor system without getting lost.

I walked through the cold corridors as I searched room for room for my good brother. After a while, I walked upon an old heavy steel door. I pressed my own weight against the heavy, rusty door as I pushed it open. Just like the rest of our cellar, the room was only dimly lit and in desperate need of renovation.

As I stepped into the room I recognised the silhouette of a box in its corner. As I walked over to it, I could see that it was Elijah's coffin.

Finally! I found him! After nearly an entire day of searching my brother I've finally found him!

I quickly opened the coffin to find my poor brother lying in it. He was unconscious, his skin was grey and the cold dagger was still resting in his chest, right there at the spot where his heart was.

Although it pained me to see my brother like this, I also felt relieved and happy to know that Niklaus did not throw him in the Mississippi river or something like that. I reached down and wrapped my hands around the antique handle of the cold dagger before I pulled it out of my brother's chest.

I knew that it would take several hours for my brother to awake and that he would feel very weak then. So I walked over to the far wall and sat down on the cold floor with my back leaned against the old wall, while I entertained myself with twisting the dagger between my hands as I waited for my brother to awake.

* * *

I've been fighting against my own fatigue for hours, always forcing my eyes to open after they'd closed against my will for a few seconds again, while I felt heavier and heavier. It must have been in the very early morning hours as I was pulled out of another microsleep by the sound of a man's voice that was quietly groaning with pain and the sound of something stirring in my brother's coffin.

I immediately got up and walked over to the coffin to see how my brother's eyes slowly opened.

"Welcome back, brother." I greeted him with a gentle voice before I helped him out of his coffin.

He was still a bit of grey and seemed to be very weak so I helped him to sit down first, before he would collapse or something.

Although Elijah hadn't been daggered for long, one of the side effects of these devil, little, magical objects was that they desiccated you of all your blood. And a vampire without blood is a very sick and weak feeling vampire.

"How long?" my dazed older brother asked, as he wanted to know for how long he has been daggered, while he looked at his dimly lit surroundings and seemed to realise where he was.

"Only a day." I replied calmly with a soft voice as I sat down beside him.

After it seemed like Elijah got fully aware of himself, he tensed up, turned his head to look at me and searched with his eyes for any injuries before he asked concerned "Are you ok? Did Niklaus hurt you?"

"No, I'm fine." I answered with a reassuring smile on my lips, while I could see how he started to relax a bit after he heard my words.

It was strange. I was so worried about Elijah and he should be worried about himself too. He just got undaggered and he still looked really grey and sick, but instead of worrying about himself, he worries about me. Always the selfless older brother… this was one of the many traits I loved about him.

"Does he know that you undaggered me?" Elijah then asked.

"No" I answered sadly while I slightly shook my head. "He said that you needed to be punished for your '_betrayel_', but he's wrong. You don't deserve this." I explained with a quiet voice.

Elijah genuinely smiled at me before he stroked with his hand over my golden head and placed a soft kiss on top of it.

It felt good to know that I had at least one family member that was honest and not evil. To me, Elijah was like an angel. He always knew what to say and what to do and always showed me the right way. He taught me how to distinguish between right and wrong.

After a moment, I reminded myself of how sick Elijah still was because of the dagger. I knew that the only thing that would make him feel better now was blood. So I silently offered him my wrist.

He looked down at it for a moment and I think that I saw a hint of black in his brown eyes for the fracture of a second, before he shook his head and said "No. I can't."

"It's ok, Elijah. Take as much as you need." I whispered reassuringly.

He then wrapped his hands around my wrist and moved it up to his mouth. His brown eyes looked up from my wrist to me for a moment to make sure that I haven't changed my mind.

When he saw the reassuring look on my face his attention went back to my wrist and he slowly and carefully sank his vampire fangs into my wrist.

I took a short breath of pain and winced at the sensation, but did nothing to pull my wrist back.

At first, Elijah carefully drank from me, but in the next moment he started to drink from me more hungrily. Dark veins appeared underneath his eyes and he pressed my wrist harder to his mouth while the grip of his hands around my wrist tightened.

I got really scared for a moment and looked at him with wide eyes but stayed silent. I somehow knew that he wouldn't hurt me…

Just a second after he started to behave like this, he stopped and quickly retracted his fangs, as if he reminded himself of that it was me from whom he was drinking from. After a moment, my now much healthier looking brother still held my wrist a view inches away from his mouth and stared to a spot on the ground as if he was thinking about and regretting what he had just done. Then it seemed like he pulled himself out of his thoughts before he quickly pulled a handkerchief out of one of his suit pockets and carefully wrapped it around the bleeding wound on my wrist before he made a knot with the ends of the soft textile.

He then looked up from my wrist and into my blue eyes before he said in a calm tone "Thank you, sister."

I then slightly smiled at him and nodded, although I was still not entirely sure what had just happened… Elijah did never lose control of his bloodlust… but it seemed like he just had... even if it was for only a second.

Elijah then got back to his feet and offered me his hand before he helped me getting back on my feet as well.

"Seems like it's time Niklaus and I have a talk." He decided before he was about to head to the door.

"Wait." I said, before he stopped and turned around to look at me. I then handed him over the dagger I had pulled out of him and said "I think it's better if you have it."

He nodded and then hid the dagger in his inner suit pocket, before he took me by the hand and led me out of the dim lighted basement.

He probably thought that I couldn't see much down here, which was right, but I found my way in so I would have of course found my way out too. But I still didn't say anything when he took my hand; I didn't want him to think that I was as stubborn as always.

* * *

As we were back on the ground floor he led go of my hand and I followed him into our lounge, where I saw Niklaus half sitting half lying on the couch with a bottle of scotch in his hand.

As he saw us entering the room, an angry look appeared in his eyes and he immediately jumped up and sped towards me, but fortunately Elijah blocked his way.

"YOU UNDAGGERED HIM? DID I NOT WARN YOU?" he bawled at me in anger over Elijah's shoulder.

I winced and felt really scared of what he would do to me. He did warn me, more than once, but I just couldn't let our innocent brother rot in a coffin because of Niklaus' paranoia…

He then tried to get past Elijah but my good brother didn't let him anywhere near me.

"You are unbelievable, do you know that, brother?" Elijah said angrily as he lost his patience and caught Niklaus' attention. "You talk about _family_ and how you need us to _stick together_ in times of war and then you dagger me."

Niklaus looked even more furious than he already was as it seemed like he tried his best to not lunge at Elijah.

"I stood by _your side_; I behaved like a _brother_ to you for the last thousand years! No matter what you did, I still held hope for your redemption and did _everything_ to help you! And yet you have nothing better to do than to destroy my trust in you and to behave like the _reckless monster_ you truly are!" Elijah bawled in anger and disappointment.

It seemed like there was a change in Nik's expression a hint of… remorse?

"I've finally realised that there is no hope for you, brother. You want to be left alone? Fine." Elijah spat angrily as he was standing only inches away from Niklaus in a provocative manner. After a pause, to calm himself down a bit, he continued and said with a voice filled with hate and disappointment "We are done. You will no longer see me at your side."

I could see a storm of emotions in Nik's blue eyes and somehow felt really sorry for him, even though he just tried to hurt me…

Elijah turned on his heel and walked angrily out of the lounge and towards the front door, while he took me by my uninjured wrist in the process and pulled me with him and said "Come, sister."

However he didn't got really far as Nik appeared before him, in the blink of an eye, and warned him with a dark, dangerous voice and so many emotions mixed up in his bright blue eyes "If you want to go, _go_. But _she_ stays here."

I felt how Elijah's grip around my wrist tightened and saw how he narrowed his brown eyes at the hybrid as he looked at him challengingly before he replied "You don't honestly think that I would leave her here with you, do you, brother? You are the most moody and irresponsible person I have ever known."

If I wouldn't have been so scared of what would happen next, I would have been mortally offended at them talking about me as if I was their property.

Klaus just narrowed his eyes at Elijah in response and gave him a lethal glare before he repeated slowly and determinedly "_She stays._"

Elijah turned to look at me for a moment before he turned back to Nik and decided "This is neither mine nor your decision to make."

He then let go of my wrist and looked at me with an encouraging expression that said 'It's your choice'.

The problem was, I didn't know what I wanted.

I felt scared and tired and I just wanted all of this to be over. I didn't want my family to split up… I wanted us to stick together as one. _Always and forever_. But it seemed like there was no hope left for this to happen…

I looked at my brothers in turn…

Elijah would be the better choice… He was my angel, my knight in shiny armour. He would never hurt me or threaten me or torment me. He was the good one. He cared about me, he was always there for me and he just wanted me to be free and find happiness.

But then my gaze wandered to Nik and I saw a hurt look on his face, one I have never seen before, mixed up with a storm of countless emotions in his eyes…

I tried _so_ hard to believe that the sweet, kind boy Nik was a thousand years ago was still in there… but it seemed like the evil monster without any humanity he has become would _never_ completely vanish... It might stay quiet and sleep for a while, but it would _always_ wake up eventually and destroy _everything_ and _everyone_ in its near…

So the question I had to ask myself was if I was willing to stay with my hybrid brother, a person I've spend the last thousand years with, someone who's become a part of me, and continue to seek for his redemption while knowing that I would eventually get hurt by the demons inside of him…

The answer to this question was simple… _Always and Forever_. I could _never_ abandon my brother. Of course we had our quarrels and fights and he'd hurt me more times than I could count… _but he was still my big brother_. The one who made me laugh and gave me gifts. Who loved art, music… He's been there for me and watched over me for over a millennium … I could never abandon him. I love him. He's my family…

It was the hardest decision I had ever had to make…

I gave Elijah an apologetic look as I felt how my eyes went watery, before I walked over to Nik without breaking the eye contact with my good brother.

The look of sadness, pain and confusion on Elijah's face nearly broke my heart and I looked at the ground as I tried not to cry.

My family was broken… once and for all.

I could hear Elijah's footsteps as he walked towards the front door and left the mansion. As I heard how the door closed behind him, I could no longer hold back my tears…

* * *

A bit later, I finally managed to stop crying but my eyes were still very watery. I was leaning on the cabinet in in our lounge, in which we stored our booze, while I stared out of the window on the far wall. The sun hadn't risen yet, so it was still very early.

I absent-mindedly observed the twinkling stars in the dark sky, while I couldn't stop thinking about what just happened…

It was over… Elijah was gone and Nik… well I wasn't really sure…

I then heard slow, heavy footsteps walking into the lounge and noticed, out of the corner of my eye, how Nik leaned beside me on the cabinet.

"… For a moment, I truly believed that you would leave me." He said, after a moment of silence, with thick sadness in his voice.

He must feel as sad as I about Elijah…

"I still don't understand how you could have daggered our brother…" I mumbled in a mixture of sadness and grieve, while I stared into the night sky on the other side of the window.

"His love for Hayley was a weakness. I can't afford any weaknesses at times of war..." he explained with sadness and a hint of remorse in his voice.

"Then what about me?" I asked him with a hint of accusation and anger in my voice as I turned my head to the side to look up at him. "Am I not a weakness to you too? I am mortal now, an easy target. I can't offer you the same advantages like Elijah can. I don't listen to you and act against your will and still you daggered him instead of getting rid of me. _Why?_"

He silently looked down at me for a moment with so many emotions in his bright blue eyes, before he replied eventually with a broken voice "I can't lose you, Bekah… I might be able to live without Elijah, without my moral compass, but I can't live without you." He paused for a moment as his blue eyes went as watery as mine were since Elijah left.

He then continued to look deep into my blue eyes with his own blue ones and confessed with so many mixed up emotions audible in his voice "I need you… without you I'd be lost… you are what reminds me of who I was and who I can become again… _you're my humanity_."

After another pause, he continued "You might be a weakness, little sister, but you're a weakness I'll always be willing to risk having."

I was so touched by what he just confessed… In that moment I saw the sweet boy, Nik once was, again... There was still hope for him. There _always_ has been hope for him and there _always _will be.

I smiled up at him, a genuine smile, before I rested my head on his shoulder and continued to look out of the window.

"I love you too, Nik." I whispered with a soft voice.

I then felt how my brother carefully tilted his head to the side to let it lean on mine while he wrapped one arm around my upper back with his hand gently resting on my shoulder.

We just stood there like that. Silently seeking comfort in the warm, familiar, soothing presence of the other, as we were looking out of the window and waited for the sun to rise. To show us that nothing was for ever lost and that everything will get better eventually.

* * *

**Author's Note****:**

**There it is, on time on my birthday, a new chapter! Please be so kind as to let me know what you think of it! :)**

**A BIG THANK YOU goes out to the lovely reviewer "xxdonedirtcheapxx" and the lovely mystery reviewer "Little Wolf"! Reading your reviews makes me really happy and motivates me into writing! :D**

**As always: ****_PLEASE REVIEW!_**


	22. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer****: **

**The title of the story is taken from the song "Who you are" by "Jessie J".  
****I do not own the mentioned song all rights belong to their rightful owners.  
****Unfortunately, I do not own any of the characters nor do I own "the Originals" or "the Vampire Diaries" or the, the "The Originals The Untold Story" book series all rights belong to their rightful owners.  
****Some of the dialogue and action are taken from and inspired by the books of the "The Originals The Untold Story" book series.**

**Warning****: **

**This chapter contains adult content.**

* * *

**Chapter 22**

It's been a week since Elijah left, the atmosphere in the mansion had been depressing and Nik and I were very sad… But it didn't take long for my brother to fall back into his old habits and to behave like his normal insensitive self again.

Although Elijah didn't spoke to Nik, he called me once a day to make sure that I was ok and to tell me about how he was doing. He was back together with Hayley, who still lived in the bayou with her pack, and he told me that he found a nice loft in the city. He also invited me to live with him, if I changed my mind. Although I terribly missed him, I was happy for him. At least one of us could be together with the person that he loves…

I gently touched the heart shaped necklace around my neck Jason gave me, as I lounged on the antique leather couch in our lounge, watching the dark night sky outside the antique windows. I really missed Jason… I wished so much for him to be here right now and to distract me from all my worries and the family drama. But Jason was dead… and no matter how much I love him – _loved him_ – it wouldn't bring him back.

And then there was Marcel… somehow I still had feelings for Marcel, and although he was a regular guest in our mansion, due to his alliance with Nik, I barely saw him or spoke to him. Nik watched us like a hawk to make sure that I wouldn't get too close with Marcel and find love and happiness, like Elijah did. My paranoid older brother feared that I would abandon him in the end, just like Elijah...

Oh, how I missed Marcel... I missed being near him, I missed the appealing smell of his after-shave, I missed the feeling of his soft skin on mine when I stroke with my hand over his cheek and I missed the sound of his smooth, buttery voice purring into my ear…

I was pulled out of my thoughts and flinched as I suddenly heard a very familiar but also angry sounding voice calling out my name.

"Rebekah!" Nik called angrily, before the French parlour doors flew open and he stormed into our lounge.

I just rolled my eyes at him in annoyance. What trifle has upset him this time?

Nik has been sad and broken for a while when Elijah has left, but now it seemed like he got more and more annoyingly paranoid by the day. Perhaps it was his way to cope with our loss, but it was frustrating none the less. Especially because he preferred it to get mad at me all the time instead of at his army of pathetic, little baby vampires.

"Rebekah! What were you thinking you were doing!?" Nik snarled at me, as he came to a halt in front of me, his anger clearly written all over his face.

"Pardon?" I asked, as I furrowed my brow in confusion. I had no idea what he meant…

"A little bird told me, by coincidence, that, that terribly annoying brother of your dead lover has shown up here last week and daunted you-" my angered brother started reproachfully.

But then I interrupted him by muttering sarcastically under my breath "Not the only terribly annoying, daunting brother I know…"

"Would you care to repeat that?" he asked provokingly, his eyes narrowing.

I was so angry at him in that moment. Who was he to think that he had any right to be mad at me for not telling him about my encounter with Ethan? He walks out of this bloody mansion every day attending to his so called 'business', which is just another word for slaughtering some witches and continuing his struggle for more power in this city, while I keep my mouth shut and don't even dare to question him with whom he was meeting this time and what he was doing.

I tried to keep my anger under control, as good as could, as I slowly got up from the sofa and took one menacing step toward my older brother, looked up at him and answered in the same provoking tone he used "I think you heard exactly what I said."

Nik stared silently down at me for a moment as it seemed like he, too, tried his best to keep his anger in check. Then he said dauntingly with a sharp, warning note in his dark voice "Be careful what you're doing. This time there is no Elijah to defend you."

"Let's make one thing clear: _I don't need anyone to defend me_. Believe it or not, brother, I am perfectly capable of looking out for myself." I said with a menacing undertone in my voice, as I bowed my head up to him to emphasise my point.

"No, you're not. You're no longer a vampire, you can't defend yourself the way you could in the past, and that Ethan guy could have hurt you. You need my protection." Niklaus reminded me, his thin wearing patience clearly audible in his voice. "So next time when some strange vampire walks in to my home and daunts you, you better tell me for your own good."

Perhaps there was a tine tiny hint of truth in my brother's words, but I was way too angry to admit it. I just told him that I didn't need his or anyone's protection and he still seemed to not get it into his thick skull. I'm not a child, and I haven't been for a long time!

"It's _our_ home." I reminded him. "And I didn't tell you about Ethan because, like I already said, _I don't need anyone's protection! _ So what is it gonna take for you to stop treating me like this tiny, fragile, little object!?" I exclaimed angrily, as I lost my patience.

Nik silently looked at me for a moment with an angry look in his eyes that told me that he was absolutely not agreeing with what I said, as it seemed like he tried his best to not completely lose his patience. He then sighed in frustration, before he decided "This conversation is over." He then stormed out of the same French parlour doors he just entered and headed upstairs.

I was so fed up with Nik. His behaviour was just infuriating and it got even worse since Elijah left. I couldn't bear to be in the same mansion with him at that moment. So I grabbed my leather jacket and left the house quietly, to make sure that neither Nik nor his stupid baby vampires noticed me.

I just needed some air.

* * *

I've been walking through the dim lighted streets for a while now, inhaling the fresh, appeasing night air while I listened to the chipper sounds of the French Quarter. I listened to the happy chatter and amused laughter of humans walking through the streets, to the typical New Orleans jazz at every corner and to the magical chirping of the grasshoppers.

It seemed like Nik has noticed my absence and sent out some kind of search party, because both Nik and Elijah and even Marcel called me several times, but I always reject their calls. I just wanted to be left alone for a while…

I enjoyed it, the feeling of being alone and not having someone hovering over me. For the first time in a long, long while I somehow felt _free_.

As I walked around the next corner and found myself walking through a dark alley, I noticed that the chipper sounds of the French Quarter were gone... I must have already left the French Quarter. Could I really have been walking that far without noticing it? Looking at it from the bright side: being far away from our mansion meant more time to enjoy my freedom on the way back.

As I walked further down the alley, I heard my smartphone vibrating in the pocket of my leather jacket again. As I pulled it out to look at it, I saw that it was a text message from my annoyingly paranoid brother Nik.

_Where r u?_

I just rolled my eyes at the message and was about to put my phone back into my pocket, as I noticed a stranger walking a few feet behind me down the alley. That would have been nothing out of the ordinary, if I haven't seen him walking a few feet behind me half an hour ago, when I was still in the French Quarter. He was following me… and although it was dark, I didn't think that he was one of Nik's annoying, baby vampires…

I felt a bit alarmed, so I decided to walk a bit faster in the hope that this alley would soon lead to a more crowded place. But as I was about to turn at the next corner, I bumped into another stranger.

"Excuse you." I muttered under my breath, before I was about to walk past him, when he grabbed me by the upper arm and pulled me back.

"That's a nice phone," The athletic looking man said, in a tone that could mean nothing good, as he nodded with his head towards my smartphone, which I was still holding in my hand "can I borrow it?"

Before I could object, he snatched it from me and threw it to the ground, before he stomped on it with his foot, causing the glass of my display to shatter into little pieces.

"What the bloody hell!?" I exclaimed in a mixture of shock and anger as I looked from my phone back up at him.

"And now give me your purse." he ordered, an expression on his face that signalled me that it was useless to discuss over this.

I slowly moved my hand toward the pocket of my leather jacket, before I turned around quickly to run away, but was blocked by the other stranger, who has been following me.

"Ah, ah, no tricks." He said, while he held up one finger at me as if I was a child. "Give me your purse, _now_." he repeated the orders of his accomplice.

I cursed quietly under my breath, before I reached for the purse in my pocket and handed it over to him.

As he took a look inside it, his eyes grew wide and he was speechless for a moment, before the fool started to laugh for a second. "Wow, this are a _lot_ of yards. Didn't your parents tell you to not go out of the house with so much money, princess?" he teased me.

"Are you done?" I asked him with an algid expression, while I could feel the disgusting breath of his accomplice on the back of my neck.

His gaze went down to my cleavage and he ordered "That's a nice necklace, give it to me."

"No." I protested, shaking my head. This necklace was the only thing I had left of Jason. I would be damned if I gave it to these small-time criminals.

But the bloody moron ignored me and quickly snatched the necklace from my neck. As he did so, I noticed a tattoo on his wrist. It showed a strange symbol that, in a way, resembled the French lily. I didn't know where, but I could swear that I have seen this tattoo somewhere else before…

"NO! Give it back!" I exclaimed as I tried to lunge at him and get it back, but was held back by his disgusting accomplice, who stood behind me.

"NO! Get your filthy hands off me!" I ordered the accomplice, as I furiously lashed about in his arms.

"PLEASE! You can have anything; just give me the necklace back!" I begged him desperately with slightly wet eyes.

The man ignored me and just chuckled condescendingly, before he put the necklace, together with my money and my credit cards, casually into the pocket of his jeans and said to his disgusting accomplice "She's all yours." before he turned around and left.

Wait, what did he mean?

Before I had the chance to say or do anything, the accomplice spun me around, pressed his lips upon mine and forced his disgusting tongue into my mouth, while his hands moved all over my body, clasping and grabbing whenever he wanted to.

I pushed him away harshly, feeling deeply disgusted and uncomfortable and somehow dirty, before I turned around and tried to run. But he got hold of me again and crashed me back against his body.

"NO! HELP! HE-" I screamed at the top of my lungs, before he pressed his filthy hand on my mouth to silence me. I started to furiously lash about in his arms again, while I could hear his disgusting, erratic men's breath and feel it on my face.

"Feisty" he snarled in a mixture of desire and irritation, before he forced his tongue into my mouth again.

I bit down hard on his tongue and managed to push him away again, before I hit him hard with my foot between his legs, causing him to bent forward and scream in pain. I then raised my foot again, to use the opportunity and kick him hard in the face, but he caught it and swung me by my foot hard against the wall of one of the old, seemingly abandoned buildings that surrounded the alley.

As my head crashed into the wall, I lost my conscience for a few seconds. When I opened my blue eyes again, I had an enormous headache and, for a moment, didn't know what just happened. But as I realised that I was already pinned down by the weight of my attacker's body, I remembered what happened before my encounter with the wall again.

He held my hands above my head, as he noticed that I already gained back my conscience, after just a few seconds, and I desperately tried to wriggle my hands free from his painful, vicelike grasp with all the remaining strength I had left.

"NO!GET OFF ME! NO! HELP! HE-" I screamed at the top of my lungs again, before he pressed his hand on my mouth and continued to hold my hands at my slim wrists above my head with the other. I then noticed that he had the same tattoo on his wrist like the other man had.

My attacker removed his hands from my mouth and wrists, as he tried to undress me, but before he could even remove a single part of my clothing, and before I could even hit him and start to scream again, he got pulled of me and crashed against one of the walls of the old, abandoned buildings.

I quickly sat up in shock, still feeling an enormous headache, dizzy and a bit of sick from my encounter with the wall. As I looked through my, suddenly, very watery feeling eyes over at my attacker, I saw how he was held up against the wall by his throat, choking. I had to blink a few times to make sure that I was seeing right, who was the one, who choked him… Nik. It was Nik.

Although I knew that I was in a lot of trouble, once he was finished with my attacker, I somehow felt indescribably relieved to see him.

"You bloody, little, poor excuse for a human," Nik began, and although I couldn't see his face, the sound of his voice was enough for me to know that he was in a murderous mood, which even managed to frightened me. Although, for now, his anger was not even directed at me. "how dare you touch my little sister?" he finished his question by throwing the man against another wall, before he sped over to him and beat him mercilessly to his death.

I averted my eyes from the scene. I felt sick enough already, I was shaking and felt a growing ball of disgust in my stomach as I thought about what just happened…

When Nik was finished with the human, he walked over to me.

I was so confused at his reaction, I expected him to scream at me, to scold me or to threaten me into never sneaking out again, but he did none of those things. Instead, he knelt down in front of me and scanned my injuries with his gaze, before he asked utterly concerned "Are you ok, love?"

Honestly, I didn't know… but instead of admitting it, I replied with a "Yes…" Somehow my voice sounded much more low and vulnerable and hoarse than I would have liked it…

"Your head is bleeding…" Nik pointed out worriedly.

I raised my hand and touched the upper corner of my forehead, where my headache was the worst. As my hand made contact with the damaged skin it burnt terribly, which caused me to flinch and quickly withdrew my, now a bit bloodied, hand.

"Come on, let's get you to hospital." My older brother suggested before he attempted to help me up, but as soon as his hands touched my shoulders I winced and shot my eyes tightly.

"Please don't touch me… I can't bear anyone's touch right now…" I whispered in such a vulnerable tone that I couldn't recognise my own voice anymore. But what I said was true... I knew that Nik wouldn't hurt me, but… I just felt so… _wrong_… that I couldn't bear anyone's touch… I just wanted to go home, take a shower and hopefully feel like my old self again.

"That's ok…" He said soothingly with concern clearly written all over his face, while he slowly withdrew his hands. Then his gaze set on the broken smartphone a few feet away from us, he frowned for a moment, before he asked "Is that yours?"

"Yes… his accomplice took my money and my credit cards." I explained reluctantly.

"Where is that bloody fool?" Nik growled with anger traceable in his voice.

"I don't know… he left. But it's ok." I explained.

Nik nodded. After a moment, he asked "Where is your necklace?"

"…He took it, too." I admitted.

I expected Nik to be happy about it. It was no secret that he didn't like Jason and thus was bothered by the necklace he gave me, which I was always wearing. But instead of making some sarcastic comment, he said "I'm sorry, I know it was the only thing you had left of him..."

"Yes, me too…" I whispered sadly. Now I had nothing left of Jason… the only proof that he ever existed was my memory of him.

After a moment of silence, my brother asked carefully "Can you stand up?"

I nodded lightly, not wanting to intense my headache, before I tried to get back on my feet. Perhaps I have overestimated myself, but after a bit of struggling, I finally managed to stand on my own two shaky legs again. However the new position aggravated my headache and the dizziness, so I quickly leaned on the nearest wall to gain some steadiness.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Nik appearing beside me in a flash, itching to help me but restraining himself none the less, in order to honour my wish of not wanting to be touched. He looked at me for a moment probably thinking about how he could help me, before he said calmly "You wait here, I go get the car."

He turned around to leave, but before he could do so, I called after him with a croaky voice "Nik, don't go."

He turned around and looked at me with a pained expression, before he promised "I'll be back in a flash."

I nodded lightly again, not wanting to aggravate my headache more than it already has.

Nik then took one last reassuring look at me, before he disappeared in the blink of an eye, leaving nothing behind but a light breeze of cool night air that stirred my long, loosely curled, blonde hair around my delicate shoulders.

A seemingly never ending moment later, he reappeared with his black SUV and parked it directly beside me, before he climbed out of the car and appeared next to me in the blink of an eye, carrying another breeze of cool night air with him. He then opened the passenger side door; before he silently watched me as I slowly let go of the wall, grasped at the top of the door for support and climbed carefully into the passenger's seat.

He then closed the door and appeared a second later in the driver's seat beside me, offering me a rather big wound dressing out of the first aid kit, which was stored in the trunk.

I shook my head, signalling him that I didn't need it.

But he insisted and said "That wound on your head looks bad, Bekah…"

I then took the bandage and whispered "Thank you." Before I looked into the side mirror and applied the wound dresser on the rather nasty looking wound on the upper corner of my forehead. It burned when the wound dresser touched the damaged skin and I flinched, but it didn't hurt nearly as bad as this terrible headache.

After I applied the wound dresser properly, Nik started the engine and said in a gentle voice "Let's get you to hospital."

"No." I protested with a low voice, as I looked over at him.

"Bekah… you really need a doctor to look at that wound and check you for any other injuries." Nik explained with concern in his voice.

"No," I protested again in a whisper, feeling my eyes turning a bit more watery than they already have. " …I don't want to be among people... And I don't want to be touched by some strange doctors…"

"I just want to go home, Nik. …Please just drive me home." I pleaded, looking at him with my big blue eyes.

He looked at me for a moment, a pitying look in his blue eyes, before he sighed and said "Fine. But if you get worse, I will bring you to hospital." He then headed towards our home, while I fastened my seat belt.

Most of our ride back home passed in silence. But after I've looked out of the passenger side window for a while, because I could no longer bear Nik's concerned look to my side every few minutes to check if I haven't lost consciousness or something, a thought crossed my mind. _Elijah._

I didn't want anyone to know what happened and this included him. Of course I didn't have to worry about me blabbing out the secret, it was Nik whom I worried about…

I looked to the driver's side and asked with an unfortunately still very vulnerable sounding voice "Nik?"

He looked at me for a short moment, signalling me that he heard me, before his attention went back to the road.

"I don't want anyone to know what happened, ok?" I said, with an expectant look in his direction.

"I promise I won't tell anyone." he said reassuringly as he looked back at me for another short moment.

"Not even Elijah…" I said.

He looked at me in confusion for a moment, probably wondering why I didn't want him to know. But not wanting to upset me by asking why, he repeated my words reluctantly in agreement "…Not even Elijah."

From then on our ride went on in silence.

* * *

I followed Nik into the entrance of our home, where I saw, to my surprise, Elijah appearing out of one of the hallways. His facial expression turned from anxious to relived, the second he saw me.

Although I figured that Elijah must have heard about my disappearing, I didn't expect him to be here since he turned his back on Nik. Did they make up during my absence?

"Rebekah, thank God." Elijah said in relieve as he hurried over to me and pulled me into a tight hug.

I flinched and froze in his arms immediately. I knew that he wouldn't hurt me and that he was just happy to see me again, but I honestly couldn't bear anyone's touch right then, including Elijah's. I just felt still so… _wrong_… I just wanted to go upstairs and take a shower to feel like my old self again.

After Elijah noticed my reaction, he pulled back and searched with his brown eyes in my blue ones for any indication for what was wrong, before he asked concernedly "Are you, ok?"

His eyes then set on the wound dresser on the upper corner of my forehead, and he reached his hand out to brush my bright blonde hair aside and have a better look at it, but I turned my head away.

"What happened?" he then asked with even more concern audible in his voice.

"Nothing, I'm fine. Some guys broke my phone and robbed me, but it's ok. I'm fine." I answered quietly. At least not all of it was a lie…

Elijah shot a lethal glare in Nik's direction, which led me to the conclusion that they probably did not make up, before he looked back at me and asked "Are you sure? Shall I drive you to hospital?"

Again with the hospital, I just didn't want to go there! Why is this so hard for them to understand? "No, I'm fine. I just want to go to my room." I explained with a hint of annoyance traceable in my vulnerable sounding voice.

"You don't look fi-" Elijah tried to object, but I interrupted him.

"I said I'm fine, Elijah." I lied again, before I turned to take on last glance at Nik, who somehow managed to stay silent the entire time, before I slowly walked upstairs, clutching at the banister for support.

After I circled the end of the banister on the first floor, I could hear Elijah's angry sounding voice saying accusingly "You were supposed to look after her, and not one week after I left she gets missing and comes home injured. You are so irresponsible, Niklaus!"

"_I_ am irresponsible!? I am the one who found her and brought her back home! All you did was leaving us, and now you reappear, pointing your finger at me! If you are so discontent with my way of dealing with things, you're welcome to leave and go back to sleeping with the mother of _my child!_" I could hear Nik exclaiming, it sounded as if he was fuming with anger… This was his way of dealing with stress: arguing.

"I don't know what kind of paranoid notions are running through your mind this time, but, Niklaus, I did not-" Elijah started, the loss of his usually never ending patience clearly audible in his voice.

"I don't care what you did or did not do! _You_ abandoned us once; there is nothing that keeps you from leaving again." I heard Nik saying angrily, in a somehow provoking way.

"I only abandoned you, because there is no hope for you, but I didn't abandon Rebekah, she's not at fault for you reckless behaviour." Elijah explained impatiently.

"Leave, now, brother." Nik demanded with a dark, deadly voice.

There was a moment of silence, before I heard the front door being shut loudly.

I held my head as I felt how the noise aggravated my headache. After I heard nothing from downstairs for a moment, I continued to walk to my room, leaning on the wall of the hallway for support.

* * *

After I took a shower, put on some clean clothes, and cleaned the wound on the upper corner of my forehead, which was pretty painful by the way, and concealed it with a wound dresser again, I went to bed. I felt a bit better, but not much…

It was about 3 am, I've been trying to fall asleep for hours, but I still couldn't sleep. I couldn't stop thinking about what happened… I guess I was still under a bit of shock…

I then heard a gentle knock on my door.

I knew that it must be Nik, because Elijah already left, and although I didn't feel like talking right then, I said "Come in." in a quiet voice.

The door to my room slowly opened, allowing some light of the hallway to enlighten the floor of my room together with the 300-year-old Turkish carpet, before I saw Nik stepping into my room.

"Hey, I came to check on you. I thought you'd be asleep by now…" my older brother said in a low voice.

"I can't…" I confessed sadly with my eyes turned down to the blanket, which covered my legs.

He switched on the lights, causing the room to gleam in a warm light, before he closed the door, walked over to my antique king size bed and sat down on the edge of it, looking at me with an expression in his eyes that asked me to explain what the problem was.

But I didn't want to… or maybe I just didn't know what exactly my problem was…

"I didn't need your help earlier. I had it all under control." I suddenly heard me saying stubbornly. Somehow I think I wanted to say this all the time, but didn't find the right moment…

"No, you didn't." he objected, shaking his head slightly. "Like it or not, sister, you need me just as much as I need you." He then explained convincingly, referring to me being his humanity at the end.

I looked down again. Perhaps he was right… perhaps we truly needed one another to survive… But I was too stubborn and to proud to say my insight out loud.

"I heard you and Elijah earlier…" I said instead as I looked up at him again, trying to change the topic.

Nik closed his eyes and turned his head down for a moment, when he heard my words. Then he sighed sadly and said with guilt in his voice "He is right… what happened to you is my fault."

"No, it's not." I objected. How could all of this be his fault? I was the one who snuck out. If anyone was to blame it should be me.

"I heard you leaving, but I was so fed up with you that I didn't care about it… this is my fault." He explained his enormous feeling of guilt written all over his face.

"It's not." I objected again, as I gently took one of his hands in mine, in an attempt to comfort him. And this time, _I didn't flinch_. "You couldn't have possibly known where I was going and what would happen_. It's not your fault, Nik._" I explained convincingly, as I looked with my bright blue eyes into his own blue ones.

He nodded, and after a moment he got up to leave the room, but I didn't let go of his hand.

"Stay." I said in a much more vulnerable sounding voice than I intended to.

He looked down at me for a moment, before his gaze wandered down to my hand and he noticed my badly bruised wrists. For a second, there was a hint of anger visible on his face, but as he looked back at me and saw the expectant expression on my face the anger seemed to fade. He then switched off the lights and slipped beside me under the covers, before he raised his arm so that I could rest my head on his chest. Then he laid a protective arm around my slim shoulders and placed a soft kiss on the top of my golden head, before he murmured quietly "You're getting to old for this."

I smirked slightly at his remark and nuzzled my head into his soft, grey shirt as I gently tightened the grip of my slim arms around his torso and mumbled a soft "Shut up." I then felt how my heavy eyelids slowly shut and I drifted off into a deep and peaceful sleep. And this time I didn't have to think about what happened earlier. I just enjoyed and relaxed in the warm and safe feeling of shelter, provided by my big brother.

* * *

**Author's Note****:**

**Awww… aren't they the cutest?**

**I want to apologise to you, my lovely readers, for taking so long with updating, but I have a lot to do for school at the moment… I hope you enjoyed the chapter, if so, please let me know what you think of it! :)**

**A BIG THANK YOU goes out to the lovely reviewers "Jade1511" and "xxdonedirtcheapxx" as well as the lovely, mystery reviewers "Elliex", "Guest" and "yasmindb"! Reading your reviews makes me really happy and motivates me into writing! :D**

**As always: ****_PLEASE REVIEW!_**


	23. Chapter 23

**Disclaimer****:**

**The title of the story is taken from the song "Who you are" by "Jessie J".  
****I do not own the mentioned song all rights belong to their rightful owners.  
****Unfortunately, I do not own any of the characters nor do I own "the Originals" or "the Vampire Diaries" all rights belong to their rightful owners.**

**Previously****:**

**Here is just some useful information for this chapter about what happened lately, because it's been a while since my last update:**

**\- Jason has worked for a person (or more than one person) to spy on the Mikaelsons but then quit because of his love for Rebekah.  
****\- Jason was hexed (we don't know by whom yet) and tried to kill Rebekah, so Klaus killed him.  
****\- Rebekah had a miscarriage and lost her baby _again_, whose father was either Marcel or Jason. (she was pregnant a thousand years ago when she was still human, but lost the child too)  
****\- Jason's brother Ethan is in town and is frustrated because no one including Rebekah tells him how his brother died.  
****\- Elijah abandoned Klaus because he daggered him and Elijah is now happily together with Hayley, who is carrying Klaus' child.  
****\- Rebekah ran away, got robbed, injured and nearly raped by two guys with the same tattoo on their wrists, but Klaus saved her before anything worse could happen.  
****\- Rebekah doesn't want anyone to know about what happened so she makes Klaus promise her to not tell anyone including Elijah.  
****\- Elijah and Klaus had another argument about Hayley and responsibility.**

**Warning****: **

**This chapter contains adult content.**

* * *

**Chapter 23**

_It was a beautiful spring day. The warm sun shone on our heads as we were having a lot fun playing together in the green forest like all young children like to do. It was Finn's turn of being the monster and Elijah, Nik, Kol and I had to defeat him. We chased after him for a while, jiggling and shouting out his name as we did so. When we caught him, we pulled him down to the ground jiggling even harder with big smiles of joy on our faces. _

As I slowly opened my eyes, I felt a terrible headache. I felt like my head was exploding, it was even worse than yesterday. Then I heard a very familiar, gentle voice commenting "A beautiful dream…" while I felt someone's hand being lifted from my forehead. It was Nik; I didn't need to look up at him to know it. I wasn't sure how I should feel about him reading my mind without my permission. There were a lot of things I didn't tell him or lied about to him… but if he would have found out about them, he wouldn't sound so nice now, would he?

I noticed that it was already morning and we were still lying in each other's arms in my antique king sized bed. I had to blink a few times to adjust to the light that came in from the antique windows; before I whispered a sad "I miss them…"

It was true; I really did miss my siblings. I missed having Elijah around. Since he gave up on Nik, I felt like I barely saw him. I missed Finn and Kol, too. Since they died I felt like something was missing. Although I would never say it out loud, I missed Kol much more than I missed Finn. I missed his immature jokes and his annoying pranks; god, I even missed that stupid, mischievous smirk of his…

"So do I …most of them." Nik confessed sadly as he stroked with his hand over my golden head.

As I turned my head to look up at him, I noticed that he looked very tired and exhausted. While I had the best sleep in weeks, it seemed like he didn't had the fortune of a deep and peaceful sleep. But why?

"Are you ok?" I asked worriedly trying to sound less weak than I did yesterday, while searching in his blue eyes for any indication of what was troubling him.

"I'm fine, sister. It is you, who you should worry about." He answered.

But I could see that he wasn't telling the truth. Not wanting to upset him, I didn't push the subject any further.

"How is your head doing?" he then asked worriedly as his eyes set on the wound dresser on my forehead.

"Better." I lied with a croaky voice and a faked smile.

It seemed like he was too exhausted to notice my lie or perhaps he just wanted to believe it…

The truth was, I still felt dizzy and my head still hurt terribly, but I didn't want him to worry about me. Besides, I didn't want him to make me go to hospital. I still felt a bit anxious when I thought about what nearly happened yesterday and I still wasn't ready to be touched by some strange doctors. I felt so ashamed for what happened and I just wanted to stay home for a while…

He gave me a soothing smile in return, which reassured me that he bought my lie, before he got up, stroked one last time over my golden head and said "You should rest now. I'm downstairs if you need anything." He then placed a soft kiss on my forehead before he left the room.

* * *

I was quietly sobbing in my bed with my hands covering my mouth, muffling the noise.

I've been trying to fall back asleep for about an hour but… I couldn't. Every time I closed my eyes images of what happened yesterday ran through my mind… _Him_ touching me… forcing his disgusting, wet tongue into my mouth… pinning me to the cold, hard ground, trapping me beneath the weight of his body… his bad breath on my warm skin… I just couldn't get it out of my head. I somehow felt guilty for what happened… I should have fought harder, screamed louder… My pride was hurt and I felt so ashamed…

It was strange; when I was with Nik I could easily fall asleep without a problem. I just felt like I didn't have to worry about anything as long as he was there. Although we had our differences most of the time, he was always there for me when I needed him. Being with him gave me a feeling of safety; I knew that he would never let anything harm me.

But when I was alone I felt terrible… all of the bad thoughts would come to my mind and I would remember everything over and over again… I felt scared and alone and sad and vulnerable and insecure and disgusted… there was a ball of countless mixed emotions slowly growing in the pit of my stomach… it wanted to consume me, to trap me in a never ending darkness… _But I wouldn't let that happen._

If I couldn't sleep I could get up and get changed as well.

I quickly wiped away the wetness beneath my eyes before I got out of bed. As soon as I stood on my feet my head started to hurt even more than before and I felt like the whole room was spinning. I quickly grasped at the bedpost for support as I waited a moment before I brought myself to get changed. I knew that there would be no way for me to sneak out of the mansion again and I also didn't feel like wanting to be amongst people, but I didn't want to stay in bed all day either. …It made me feel like a victim.

I slowly made my way down to the ground floor as grasped for anything in my reach for support on the way, struggling to stay on my feet. To be honest, the way downstairs never seemed as long as in that very moment. As I've nearly reached the bottom of the stairs, I stumbled over my own feet and fell the last few steps down to the ground floor. That made the dizziness and my headache even worse. I was exhausted and felt like my head was exploding.

After a moment on the hard ground I brought myself to slowly pull myself up at the stair banister again.

Ok, I had a little headache, and? It's nothing I should worry about. A little walk to the kitchen and making me something for breakie are much better for my health than spending the day in my room, crying.

After my shaky legs slowly carried me into the kitchen, I decided to have a glass of orange juice first. However I ended up with making a mess by spilling more of the juice onto the kitchen counter than into my glass.

"Perfect…" I sighed with a still high and very croaky voice from all the screaming yesterday, before I took a cloth and started cleaning up my sticky mess with the one hand while leaning on to the kitchen counter with the other to gain some support and disburden my shaky legs a bit.

Suddenly someone's hand was placed on mine, interrupting me.

I tensed up immediately and looked to my side, not knowing who it was. But as I saw that it was Nik, I started to relax a bit again.

"Let the staff finish this." He told me calmly as he looked down at me with a worried expression on his face. Somehow he still looked as exhausted as he looked earlier… what was wrong with him?

I just nodded before I let go of the cloth. Although I managed to hide the pain and vulnerability in my voice earlier, I preferred it to better not test my luck unless I had to.

"You told me that you're feeling better." My brother said after he silently looked at me for a moment, a hint of disappointment mixed with accusation in his voice.

'Well, seems like I didn't even had to say anything for him to know that I lied earlier. Perfect.' I thought sarcastically as I tried my best to not roll my eyes at him.

"I am feeling better, Nik. I'm fine." I lied slightly annoyed without even looking at him and with my exhaustion clearly audible in my voice as I tried to get past him. Although I felt safe around him lately, I couldn't stand his _'you've been lying to me'_ tone. I simply didn't want him to worry more about me than he already did and of course I feared that if I would tell him the truth about the aggravation of my headache and the dizziness that he would take me to hospital.

"No you're not. You can barely stand on your feet." He retorted with a hint of frustration in his voice as he blocked my way. Patience has never been one of my brother's strong suits… Or perhaps he just didn't like the fact that I kept lying to him…

"The only reason why I didn't brought you to hospital yesterday right away was because we said that you would go today if you're not feeling better by then." He explained before he decided "We're going now." In a tone that usually left no room for discussion.

But I argued none the less. "No, I'm not going." I objected, trying to sound as strong as I could in that moment as I looked him straight in the eyes. "I don't want to."

"You are going, if you want to or not." He bit back, the loss of his patience clearly audible in his voice, before he grabbed me by the upper arm and roughly dragged me towards the entrance like a parent would do with a stubborn child. I somehow had a feeling that there was more to his insensitive behaviour than just his usual impatience…

"No, Nik! I don't want to! Let go off me!" I protested as I tried to wiggle my arm free. Tears filled my eyes at the thought of leaving the house and I started shaking. I was so scared of going outside and of being alone in an examining room with a strange doctor, touching me. _I was frightened_. "…Please don't make me go there." I pleaded in panic with such a high pitched, vulnerable voice that betrayed all the emotions I tried to hide that whole time.

After that Nik stopped immediately, turning to me and looking at me silently for a moment. His expression softened before he let go of my arm. He probably realised that forcing me into going to hospital wasn't the right approach.

I quietly let out a breath I didn't even realise I was holding and sat down on an antique settee that stood against the adjacent wall of the entrance to rest my legs and compose myself a bit with my back slightly leaning on the wall behind me. Considering the condition I was in it was a wonder I didn't fell as Nik dragged me through the house.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him silently sitting down next to me; his elbows resting on his thighs as he slightly bend forward, his fingers intertwined like humans would do when they were praying. Although I couldn't see his face, it looked like he was staring at something invisible at the far wall.

"Bekah-" he broke the moment of silence as he turned his head to look at me, but the moment our eyes met he went silent again, the thoughtful expression on his face turning into a mixture of remorse and guilt.

"…I'm sorry, love. I didn't mean to-." He apologised with so many emotions audible in his voice, but then stopped in the middle of the next sentence.

He looked down for a moment and sighed, before he looked back into the distance. "Yesterday, Elijah told me that I was irresponsible… I was just trying to do the right thing, to be responsible…" he explained with a mixture of remorse and worry clearly audible in his sad voice.

Although he couldn't see it, I nodded slightly as I forgave him.

"I don't want to go to hospital, Nik…" I whispered, after another moment of silence, with a still very shaky voice and watery eyes as I looked at the back of his blonde head.

He turned to silently look at me for another moment before he gave in and said "…Ok, you don't have to go, sweetheart."

I then caught myself letting out another breath I didn't realise I was holding before I gave him a small smile that told him that I appreciated his compliancy, before he turned his head to look back into the distance again.

We just sat there in sad silence for a while, neither of us wanting to say anything as we derived comfort from the sole presence of the other.

Then Nik reached out for a small, thin, black box that lay on an antique bureau near the settee and gave it to me.

I gave him a quick inquiring look before I opened the box to find a new smartphone in it. It was a high-class model, of course. I really needed a new one since mine got broken during the-… since mine got broken yesterday.

"Thank you." I thanked him quietly with a small smile on my lips.

"They were able to save the memory card of your old one and put it into this one. You'll need it to contact me, if something happens while I'm gone." He explained calmly but with a hint of exhaustion traceable in his voice, leaning with his back on the wall against which the settee was standing, our shoulders nearly touching.

I was still wondering why he obviously couldn't get any sleep last night, but at that moment it seemed more important to me to find out what he meant with _gone_.

"_Gone?_ Where are you going?" I asked as I tried to hide my concern. I didn't feel comfortable at the thought of being alone in the mansion or as alone as you can be with a bunch of stupid baby vampires, who you barely even know or care to memorise their names, running through it. Lately my big brother's presence gave me a feeling of safety, at least when he wasn't dragging me through our home, trying to force me into something or yelling at me. The thought of him being gone troubled me…

"Most of the witches in town still don't accept me as the new ruler. They're not loyal to me. I found out the name of at least one of the covens that plot against me, and today, I'm going to take my army and teach them a lesson they will never forget." He explained, his murderous mood as obvious as the fatigue around his blue eyes. "The bloodbath will be an example for the other covens." He added with a vicious smile on his lips as he looked into the distance.

I didn't like his plan. Not only because I wanted him to stay near me, but also because I worried about him. He was not at his best. Even with an army of trained vampires as support he could still easily get hurt… I didn't want him to get hurt. _He was my family._

"Do you really think this is a good idea?" I asked carefully, turning my head to where he was sitting beside me to look at him. I knew that trying to talk him out of it was pointless. Elijah tried to talk him out of waging war against our enemies and into talking politics with them for centuries but it only made Nik wanting it even more. But Elijah was not here to do that now, so I had to take over his part, even though I knew that it was pointless…

All I received was a slightly confused expression on his tired looking face as he turned his head to look at me, only a thin distance separating our faces.

"You're not well, Nik." I stated, betraying my concern for him. "You look tired. You obviously didn't get any sleep last night. You can't start a battle when you're not at your best." I explained my worry about him clearly written all over my face.

"I'm fine, Bekah. I'm a hybrid; I'm always at my best." He lied as the expression on his face hardened. "I don't need your concern."

I tried to ignore the feeling of rejection I was feeling due to his words. "What's the matter? What is troubling you so much that you can't sleep at night?" I suddenly asked as I searched with my bright blue eyes in his own blue ones for any indication for what was wrong.

"Nothing." He answered coldly with a hint of annoyance in his voice and a hard expression on his face.

"You can talk to me, what is it?" I pushed further as I didn't let go of the subject.

"Fine, you want to know what's troubling me so much?" Nik asked angrily as he got up and walked a view steps away before he turned to me again. _"It's you."_ He hissed at me, his anger and the loss of his patience clearly audible in his voice, but there was also something else traceable in his voice...

I furrowed my brow in confusion as I looked up at him. Because of me? What did he mean with that?

"I'm _terrified_, Bekah." He confessed his anger visibly turning into pain in front of my eyes, his blue eyes turning watery. "Last night, I just lay there listening if you were still breathing and if your heart was still beating."

"…Because, I'm fearing that I could lose you any second. I have to live with the fear that every second something could happen and tear you away from me." He explained as his voice broke in a mixture of frustration and pain, his blue eyes hard and soft at the same time.

He took one step towards me, before he whispered with so much pain and sadness in his voice at the end that my eyes started to turn watery too. "And I can't lose you, Bekah… I just can't."

I was speechless for a moment. I couldn't believe what he was telling me. Why didn't he talk with me about this earlier? Why did he try to hide it from me?

Then I slowly got up, trying my best not to lose balance because of my headache and the dizziness as I silently walked over to him.

Nik looked to the ground, the expression on his face hardening again. He was probably starting to get angry at himself for telling me how he truly felt.

"It's ok, Nik." I whispered soothingly.

But his gaze stayed fixed on the ground.

I then carefully took his hand in mine causing him to finally look at me. I looked deep into his blue eyes with my own ones before I whispered convincingly "I'm not going anywhere, I promise... _Always and forever._" while squeezing his hand lightly at the end.

He just silently looked at me for a moment with an unreadable expression. He then softly placed one hand on the side of my neck, before he leaned his forehead down on mine. We closed our eyes and just relished the feeling of peace we felt in that moment, as we started to slightly smile.

A long moment later, Nik placed a soft kiss on my forehead before he withdrew and said "I have to go now. I'll leave two of my guys here to watch over you."

After what happened yesterday… I suddenly started to feel a bit anxious at the thought of being alone with two men I didn't even know.

He must have somehow noticed what I was feeling, because he placed a soothing hand on my shoulder and explained "Don't worry, sister, they know that they're dead should they dare to touch you."

I nodded slightly as I inwardly settled again.

"Shall I help you back to your room?" My brother asked concern traceable in his voice.

"No, I'm just going to read in the lounge for a while. I hate being in my room all day." I explained. The truth was that I was sure I would start remembering what happened yesterday outside the quarter and start crying again, if I had to spend one more minute alone in my room…

"Ok." Nik said withdrawing his hand from my shoulder.

I then slowly and carefully walked over into the lounge, trying not to lose my balance because of the terrible headache and the dizziness that seemed to aggravate with time. After I took one of the books out of the antique bookshelf and lay down on the couch I noticed that Nik was silently standing in the periphery of the room near the opened French parlour doors with a worried expression on his face.

"Nik, I'm fine. Don't worry about me, ok?" I said as if I truly believed it, trying to disburden him a bit.

Although he nodded, the expression on his face told me that he was still worrying. He then walked over to where I was lying on the antique leather sofa, looked down at me with a soft expression on his face and stroked with his hand over my golden head before he said "Call me if anything happens, ok?"

I silently nodded as I was looking up at him. I understood that leaving me was hard for him; I think he felt still a bit responsible for what happened yesterday although I told him not to. But letting him go was hard for me too, after what happened yesterday… he was the only person that could make me feel truly safe.

"Bye" He whispered before he bowed over the back of the couch and placed a soft kiss on the top off my golden head.

"Bye" I whispered back before he walked out of the room.

"Nik?" I suddenly heard myself quietly calling after him.

"Yes, sweetheart?" He asked, stopping in the doorframe and turning back to me.

"Be careful." I said with concern in my quite voice.

He gave me a small reassuring smile, before he disappeared in the hallway.

Just a moment later, I could hear the front door being shut.

* * *

I've been silently reading in our lounge for about an hour, trying to stop worrying about my brother and trying to put my mind off what happened yesterday. Although I knew that Nik left to of his guys behind to protect me, I had sent them out of the room about half an hour ago. I just didn't felt comfortable with them around… They were strangers to me. I didn't feel comfortable around strangers lately…

"New Hobby?" I heard a smooth voice asking, as I looked up from where I was reading on the couch to see Marcel walking up to me with one of his charismatic smiles on his lips.

"Aren't you supposed to help my brother right now?" I asked furrowing my brow, as he sat down on the antique coffee table before the sofa.

"I should but then I thought 'Why not use the opportunity to spend some time with my favourite blonde?'" He replied charmingly with a sparkling in his unique shaped, dark brown eyes.

Ever since the last time I got too close with Marcel, my brother watched us like a hawk, making sure that none of us got the chance to even talk to the other. Nik feared that I would leave him and find happiness with Marcel like Elijah did with Hayley…

"You should go now, before Nik's lackeys see you and tell him that we were talking." I ordered with a hint of concern in my voice. Who knows what my big brother would do to Marcel should he find out that he ignored his order to stay away from me…

"Don't worry I took care of the two." He explained suspiciously.

"What did you do?" I asked as I slightly narrowed my eyes at him. I could feel that he was hiding something from me.

"I didn't come here to argue, Rebekah." He started, ignoring my question, before the expression on his face softened and he said with his deep, butterlike voice "…I've missed you. Not being able to talk to you or even look at you for so long was killing me, Rebekah…"

I put my book down before I sat up a bit, feeling somehow glad but also sad at what he was telling me. Of course I've missed him too… very much. But with Nik still being against a relationship between Marcel and I, and everything that has happened lately… I just didn't feel like figuring _this_, whatever it was that was between us, out was the right time. It wasn't that I was feeling uncomfortable around him or anything. I've known him since he was a child, I trusted him and I had feelings for him. It was just that I wasn't sure if getting closer with him again would be good for me right then…

"Marcel, I-" I started as I looked into his beautiful dark brown eyes, but then stopped not being sure of what to say. "I've missed you too... It's just that I don't think that this is a good idea." I tried to explain while it seemed like he wasn't listening anymore. His beautiful brown eyes seemed hazy as they set on the lower part of my face and before I knew it, he bend forward and pressed his lips up on mine in a soft kiss as he gently placed his hand on my lower back.

I pushed him away as I broke the kiss, looking into his confused mahogany brown eyes for a moment.

With Marcel it didn't feel like yesterday. Yesterday it felt wrong and forced, it happened against my will... But in that moment with Marcel it felt right and somehow nice… I knew Marcel for about 300 years, I trusted him. Perhaps this was what I needed. To be together with someone I chose and be in control. Perhaps he could help me forget what happened yesterday.

Before I knew it, I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him closer to me before I kissed him passionately, breathing in the appealing smell of his after-shave, ignoring my headache and the dizziness. As I felt him kissing back with the same fierce passion, I pushed him down on the couch so that I was on top, straddling him.

Marcel seemed to be taken aback by the sheer force I used to get him on the couch, but after a moment an amused smile appeared on his lips and I smiled back down to him before I pressed my lips down onto his soft ones once again, trying to kiss his smile away.

After a moment I had to break the kiss to breathe, before he raised his head slightly to kiss me fierce again, his hands wandering up and down my back while I gently placed my hands at the sides of his head, stroking over the beautiful skin with my fingers. I was enjoying myself to say the least.

But then he rolled us over, so that I was the one being pressed down to the couch with the back. He was now leaving warm kisses from my soft mouth down to my delicate neck and then my shoulders, pushing the fine material that covered them down my left shoulder as he did so.

However the new position didn't make me feel very comfortable. It reminded me of yesterday and images of what happened started to run through my mind again… _Him_ touching me… forcing his disgusting, wet tongue into my mouth… pinning me to the cold, hard ground, trapping me beneath the weight of his body… his bad breath on my warm skin…

I started to panic and tried to push him off me, but he interpreted my action wrong and murmured my name against my delicate neck as he started to kiss it again, this time more passionately with his hands running possessively up and down my sides.

Tears filled my eyes and I desperately pressed my hands on his muscular chest again in another attempt to get him off me, as I could no longer ignore my headache and the dizziness I was feeling. I felt trapped in that moment just like yesterday and I just wanted some space, I felt like I couldn't breathe.

It seemed like he finally noticed that something wasn't right as he looked with his worried dark brown eyes into my watery blue ones and lifted his weight of me before he asked worriedly "Are you ok? Did I do something wrong?"

"No, it's not your fault. I just-… I can't do this right now." I explained as I tried to compose myself a bit, running one hand through my long, loosely curled blonde hair as I did so.

"What happened to your head and wrist?" he then asked, still very worried.

I silently cursed myself for uncovering the wound dresser on the upper corner on my forehead as I ran my hand through my hair earlier. I briefly glanced at my wrists, which were bruised and showed the most interesting colours before I looked back at Marcel and lied "Nothing, I fell." I took a quick glance around the room and before he could say anything else I said "I think you should probably go now, Marcellus. If Nik comes back and finds you here with me he'll punish you."

Marcel looked into my eyes for a long moment before he nodded, got off the couch and left the mansion.

I stayed silently on the couch for a moment and took a deep breath as I tried to completely compose myself. As I got up I nearly fell back down because of the dizziness and the headache, but then I brought myself to slowly walk through the French parlour doors of our lounge to go back to my room.

But as I stepped into the hallway I saw that the two vampires, who were supposed to watch over me, were lying unconsciously on the floor in front of our lounge, their heads bend in an unhealthy angle. 'Marcel has probably snapped their necks before he came to me' I thought as I shook my head and then slowly and carefully went up to my room. The two would wake up soon anyway, no need for me to worry about them, it wasn't like I knew them or cared about them or anything.

* * *

As I slowly walked into my room I felt a cool night breeze stroking over my skin and noticed that the window was open, which was strange because I didn't remember opening it before I left the room this morning. Not wasting another thought on it, I walked over to the French window and briefly looked up into the dark night sky before shutting it. When I turned around, I was startled to see Ethan standing in the middle of my bedroom.

An obviously non genuine grin appeared on his lips before he said in a dark voice "Hello again."

"What are you doing here?" I asked nonchalantly after a few seconds of speechlessness.

"Oh, I just came to check on you. You've had a rough night yesterday." He explained with an expression on his face I couldn't decipher as he slowly approached me.

"How do you know about yesterday?" I asked in confusion as I tried to block out the images of what happened last night trying to get into my head again, while slowly taking a few steps backwards in an attempt to keep some distance until my back was against the French window.

"You're leaving town, now." He ordered me with an algid expression on his face, ignoring my question, his face just inches apart from mine as he glared down at me with Jason's brown eyes. Although he obviously tried to appear emotionless, I could still see a hint of a mixture of anger and pain in his eyes.

Hiding the feeling of anxiety I was feeling, I snorted scornfully before I said "Absolutely not." and brushed past him to get to the door. However as I was about to open it, I felt a light breeze of air as he suddenly appeared behind me and pushed the door close again, leaving his hand on the wood to make sure I wouldn't open it again.

"I had a really stressful day and I have no patience left for _you_, so let me make this clear. You either leave town or I will hurt everyone you love." He threatened, his warm breath perceptible on the back of my neck as he did so.

Once again I tried to shut the images of what happened yesterday out of my mind and tried to ignore my terrible headache and the dizziness, as I felt his breath on my neck before I turned around and faced him. Threatening me was one thing, but threatening _my_ family was something I wouldn't tolerate. "What is your problem? I understand that you don't like me and that you're angry at me for not telling you about how your brother died, but that does not justify treating me like this _or_ threatening _my_ family!" I argued angrily as I looked up at him. It was true; he had _no_ right to behave like this!

"You still have no idea, do you? And I thought that after a thousand years on this earth a girl like you should be a bit smarter." He said with his hand still on the door.

"What are you talking about?" I asked impatiently with my anger clearly audible in my voice.

But he just grinned self-complacent before he threatened again "Leave town or your family will suffer."

I just shook my head stubbornly before I turned around and furiously pulled at the doorknob. I wasn't going to cooperate with someone who dares to threaten _my_ family.

He spun me around and pushed me hard against the door with my back, but before he could start to threaten me or my family again, I reached for a letter opener on a nearby bureau and aimed for the side of his neck.

But he was faster and used his inhuman speed to catch my wrist, increasing the pressure of his painful grip on it until I was forced to let go of the off-the-wall weapon. He looked really pissed and that made me feel really afraid. But as his gaze wandered from my eyes to my bruised wrist in his hand, a smirk appeared on his lips and he said "Looks like my guy did a good job on you before your brother killed him."

He… He was the one who stood behind what happened last night. But _why?_ Why would he do that? The circumstance that I didn't want him to know that Nik killed Jason couldn't be the reason for his actions. There must be something else… something I didn't know about… but what? My eyes widened in realisation at his comment before they started to went more and more watery.

My feelings went from frightened to disgusted. His bare touch disgusted me. Looking at him disgusted me. _He_ was responsible for-. _He_ was at fault!

I wanted to hit him, hard. I wanted to yell at him. I wanted to make him pay …But at the same time I wanted to be far, far away from him. So that I wouldn't have to breathe the same air he breathed. So I wouldn't have to look into his arrogant face anymore.

I did my best to block the images of last night out of my mind as I fought against the tears welling up in my eyes. I was shaking. But just as I was about to say or do anything I noticed a strange tattoo on the inner side of his wrist. It resembled the French lily in some way… It was the same tattoo that the two men who-… that the two men last night had on their wrists. But… I've seen that tattoo somewhere else before too… It was on… It was on the vampire who tried to kill me a while ago and on… Oh my god- …Jason had the same tattoo too. I never thought much of it, but now… It must have a meaning. Perhaps the people Jason was working for gave it to him… but that would also mean that Ethan and the others were working for them too… but why? What did that people want from my family and why would Ethan help them? I know that he doesn't particularly like me, but I didn't kill his brother and he doesn't know that Nick did, so what does he want?

"The tattoo on your wrist, what does it stand for?" I asked with a shaky voice as I still tried to fight back my tears. Even talking to him disgusted me to the core.

Another self-complacent smirk appeared on his face before he said in a taunting voice "Looks like someone's starting to understand."

"Why are you doing this? Are you working for the people Jason has worked for? What do they want from my family?" I asked with a shaky voice. I felt so disgusted from talking to him but I needed the information.

He just chuckled in response.

"Answer me." I ordered as I looked into his brown eyes, trying to make him give me the information I needed.

But he just pressed me harder against the door, looked me straight in the eye and said menacingly "I think you're in no position to make demands."

I swallowed hard while I could hear my heart racing in my chest, but I stayed silent. I had no intention of irritating him even more, it was clear that he had no patience left.

"By the way, do you have anything else that belonged to Jason? The necklace didn't do its purpose." He asked casually.

_So he had Jason's necklace._ "Perhaps I could help if you would tell me for what you needed it?" I asked in response, trying to fight back my tears. _I hated him._

He smirked and then said "Never mind, I'll find something myself. You didn't love my brother anyway."

"I loved Jason! I loved him more than you can imagine and if you would have been there for your brother you would know that!" I argued with so many emotions audible in my voice as I tried to get free of his hold. He had no right to criticise me! My feelings for Jason were pure!

"Yes of course you did, judging by the little make out session you just had with that guy downstairs, you're grieve about my brother's death was more than obvious." Ethan retorted bluntly.

I suddenly started to feel guilty. He was right, having feelings for Marcellus was wrong. _Jason_ is dead, _my baby_ is dead and instead of honouring their lifes and respecting their past existence, I run into Marcel's arms to distract myself. That is _wrong._

A moment later, the expression on Ethan's face changed and it looked like he was concentrating on hearing something from downstairs, it was probably the maid, who usually left the mansion at this time to go home. Of course I immediately took advantage of Ethan's distraction and quickly wriggled my wrist free of his painful grasp before I turned around and tried to open the door again while taking a deep breath to scream loudly so that the maid would hear me. But before I could make a noise Ethan pressed one hand firmly over my mouth while wrapping his other arm around my slim waist and pulling me back roughly against his body.

I instantly started to lash about trying to get free of his hold. My screams getting muffled by the hand pressed against my mouth.

"Let one word slip out of that pretty mouth and I'll break your neck." He whispered into my ear with a dark, menacing voice as he held me in place, making sure that I couldn't try to escape again.

Hearing that, I instantly stopped moving and went quiet. The tone in his voice told me that he would do it. My heart was racing in my chest and I was still shaking. I didn't want to die. A single tear escaped my eyes and ran down my cheek as I felt him tightening his grip on my waste and pulling me closer to him. Being so close to him disgusted me even more than before, if that was even possible. _I hated him._ I hated him for what he did to me. I never thought that I could hate someone as much as I hated him.

After a moment of silence, in which the maid probably had left the house, Ethan repeated his ultimatum one last time in the same dark, menacing voice he used before "Leave town or your family will suffer."

He then slowly withdrew his hand from my mouth and I realised that I could only speak when he allowed me to. But instead of telling him what he wanted to hear I just spat "Burn in hell."

"Fine, whatever happens is on you then." He growled in a mix of anger and frustration before he pushed me roughly to the floor.

I hit my head as I fell, which only aggravated my headache… As I looked up, Ethan was gone and the window was open again. I stayed on the floor for a moment, holding my head in my hands, trying to endure the pain and trying to concentrate on what information I just received…

* * *

After another moment I slowly got up on my slim, shaky legs again and slowly and carefully went downstairs to check on my two vampires with their broken necks. Thinking about it again… Ethan probably broke their necks and not Marcel.

Just as I reached the hallway on the first floor and saw that they were still unconscious I heard a knocking on the front door and slowly walked to the entrance to open it.

As I did so, I found Nik on the other side of the threshold. He was barely standing, his clothes were bloodied and he was injured. There were several cuts and bruises all over his face and hands and I didn't want to imagine how badly injured the rest of him must look like… Sweat was running down his forehead and his eyes looked hazy.

"Oh my god…" I only managed to say in shock before he collapsed onto the floor.

* * *

**Author's Note****:**

**Hey everyone,**

**I want to apologies to you, my lovely readers, for taking so long with updating… Although I know exactly where I want to go with this story, I couldn't bring myself to write it all down… I hope you enjoyed the chapter, if so, please let me know what you think of it! :)**

**A BIG THANK YOU goes out to the lovely, mystery reviewers "KlebekahLove", "Guest", "camriella", "yasmindb", "HermioneMalfoy" and "Freedreams"! Your reviews mean so much to me and are the reason why I keep writing even after such a long hiatus! :)**

**As always: ****_PLEASE REVIEW!_**


	24. Chapter 24

**Disclaimer****:  
****The title of the story is taken from the song "Who you are" by "Jessie J".  
****I do not own the mentioned song all rights belong to their rightful owners.  
****I do not own the song ****"Unarmed" by "Mariah McManus" ****all rights belong to their rightful owners.  
****Unfortunately, I do not own any of the characters nor do I own "the Originals" or "the Vampire Diaries" all rights belong to their rightful owners.**

* * *

_Just as I reached the hallway on the first floor and saw that they were still unconscious I heard a knocking on the front door and slowly walked to the entrance to open it._

_As I did so, I found Nik on the other side of the threshold. He was barely standing, his clothes were bloodied and he was injured. There were several cuts and bruises all over his face and hands and I didn't want to imagine how badly injured the rest of him must look like… Sweat was running down his forehead and his eyes looked hazy._

_"__Oh my god…" I only managed to say in shock before he collapsed onto the floor._

* * *

**Chapter 24**

"Nik! Nik, what happened?" I asked concern clearly audible in my voice as I kneeled down beside him, my heart racing in my chest.

He looked up at me from under his heavy eyelids and was just about to say something when he suddenly started to roll to the side and throw up blood. The dark red liquid covered his mouth and neck and stained his grey, v-neck pullover as well as the recently cleaned floor.

"Oh my god…" I only managed to say in shock. "Y- you're going to be fine…" I whispered more to myself than him as I gently rubbed with my hand over my big brother's upper back in an attempt to comfort him. "I'll get you some blood and you're going to be fine." I whispered again before I got up and went, as fast as I could with that terrible headache, into the kitchen to get some blood backs out of the refrigerator, ignoring the two still unconscious vampires in the hallway as I did so.

"Perfect." I muttered sarcastically under my breath as I opened the refrigerator and saw that there were no blood backs in it.

My head hurt even more, since it had hit the floor when Ethan had pushed me... Closing the door again, I leaned my head on it for a moment, taking deep breaths as I tried to block out the pain in my head. The cool metal of the door felt good against the skin of my aching forehead.

After a moment, I walked back to the entrance where Nik was lying, feeling a bit calmer than before but not the slightest bit less worried.

I nearly fell down onto my knees, because of the dizziness in my head, as I knelt down beside him again. "Here, we're out of blood backs." I said, as I held my wrist to his bloodied mouth, offering it to him.

But he just weakly shook his head, pain clearly visible on his bruised and cut face.

A knot formed in the pit of my stomach at the thought of the pain my poor brother must be in... "Drink, it'll help you feel better." I ordered as I looked deep into his hazy, blue eyes with my own clear, blue ones.

He silently looked at me for a moment before he slowly moved one hand up to my slim forearm and held it in his weak grasp before he slowly and carefully bit down onto my wrist, his lightly wolfish glowing eyes never leaving my face as he did so.

I took a short breath of pain and winced at the sensation, but did nothing to pull my arm back.

After a moment he retracted his fangs, the light wolfish glow in his blue, eyes fading as he was still staring at me. It was obvious that he didn't had nearly enough but he stopped anyway, for my sake.

I slowly pulled my arm back as I scanned him with my eyes for any signs of improvement, but there were none. His wounds weren't healing… he was still in pain. It didn't work. Why didn't it work? What did those witches do to him? Or… was it Ethan? Did he do this to my brother? He warned me that my family would suffer, but… _No_. This wasn't Ethan's doing; he couldn't have possibly had enough time to do this to my poor brother after he left. _This_ was the witches doing.

"I call Elijah." I said as I reached for my smartphone, but stopped as I felt a weak grip on my other arm.

I looked back down at brother, who was weakly shaking his head and then used all his remaining strength to whisper a croaky and stubborn "…No."

For a moment, I silently looked at him with pity in my eyes. I felt so sorry for him and I was so worried about him… But then I sighed and said in a gentle voice full of concern "Look, I know that you and Elijah aren't on the best terms right now, but you need his help… _we_ need his help."

Nik closed his eyes for a moment, probably swallowing his stupid pride, before he nodded lightly. It was obvious that every movement pained him…

"I'll be right back." I whispered before I placed a soft kiss on his sweaty for head, took my smartphone and slowly walked out of the entrance into the lounge making sure not to stumble because of the dizziness and to close the French parlour doors behind me, before I called my eldest living brother.

"Hello, sister." I heard his voice on the phone after a short moment.

"Elijah, Nik needs your help. H- He is bleeding and he is hurt and- I don't know what to do." I said in a high, shaky voice with tears welling up in my eyes, as I was no longer able to keep my emotions in check. I was so scared and worried about my brother… Perhaps it was Ethan who did this to him and this was all my fault…

"Rebekah, calm down and tell me slowly what happened." Elijah said in a calm, soothing tone.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before I started again. "Nik left with his vampires to kill some witches of whom he thought were plotting against him- I told him not to. But he went nonetheless and now he's back. He collapsed onto the floor and he's bleeding and bruised and he isn't healing and he's been throwing up blood and-… He needs you."

For a moment there was nothing but silence on the other end before I could hear Elijah's voice saying coldly "Our brother is perfectly capable of looking after himself. He doesn't need anyone; he has made that clear."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing… Nik was his _little brother!_ He should worry about him and he should help him! I knew that they had a fight and that they said some really awful things, but… _He's our family!_ How could he be so stubborn? I thought he was the smart brother.

"Then do it for me." I demanded after a moment of silence.

There was another pause before he decided reluctantly "Fine, I'll help him."

"Thank you." I said gratefully.

"Would you please bring some blood backs with you too?" I asked as he was just about to hang up.

"I will." He said shortly before he hung up.

I wiped away some tears I didn't noticed letting fall and took another deep breath before I opened the French parlour doors of our lounge again and slowly and carefully walked back into the entrance where my poor, injured brother was lying.

"He's still mad at me." Nik whispered flatly in a croaky voice full of pain as I kneeled back down beside him. He probably used his hybrid hearing to eavesdrop on my conversation with Elijah.

Although he tried to hide it, I could see that it really hurt him that Elijah didn't forgave him this time for daggering him. "He's-… He needs time. He'll forgive you …eventually. He always does." I said in a gentle voice as I soothingly stroked with my hand over the dark blonde, curly hair on his head. It pained me to see him in pain…

* * *

It's been half an hour since I called Elijah. Nik was still lying on the floor and although he did his best to hide it, I could see that he was in a lot of pain… All I could do was sitting beside him on the floor and silently holding his hand, letting him know that he was not alone…

Suddenly, the front door swung open and Elijah came into the entrance, carrying a bunch of blood backs in his hands.

"I'm not even gone for a day and look at the trouble you've gotten yourself into." He said as he walked over to where Nik was lying on the floor.

Nik was about to retort something but I was faster and asked slightly annoyed "Finally, what took you so long?"

"There was an urgent matter that needed my attention first." He replied in his usual calm voice before he kneeled down on the other side of our brother and looked down at him, concern traceable in the expression on his face. "Who did this to you?" he then asked with a hint of anger in his usually calm voice.

"…The-… witches." Nik answered in a croaky voice filled with pain. It was obvious that talking only aggravated his pain.

"Do you know how?" Elijah then asked, still trying to not show his concern for our poor brother.

Nik just weakly shook his head in response.

"Ok, come on, I'll bring you up to your room" Elijah said before he carefully carried him up to his room, making sure to not cause him to feel more pain than Nik was already feeling.

I slowly followed Elijah upstairs, making sure to stay behind him so he wouldn't notice my dizziness.

As we reached Nik's room, Elijah lay him down onto his antique, wooden king size bed and offered him a blood back.

Nik silently took it, his weak hands clutching at the bag as he eagerly downed the dark red liquid. As he had nearly emptied it, he suddenly rolled over to the side and started to throw it all up again. Dark blood staining the recently cleaned sheets. "…Sorry." He mumbled in a hoarse voice.

"It's ok." I said as I slowly walked over to him, sat down on the edge of his bed and gently rubbed my hand over his upper back. It hurt me to see him like that and I felt so sorry for him…

"I'll change the sheets." Elijah said before he helped Nik up and into a nearby, antique, armchair, before he started to change the sheets.

"You're going to be fine… we'll find out what the witches did to you and then we'll find a way to undo it." I whispered to Nik as I was standing beside him with my hand gently placed on his shoulder.

He looked up at me and nodded lightly, hidden pain visible in his blue eyes.

After a moment Elijah helped Nik back into his antique king size bed and helped him sit up a bit before he took off his bloodied pullover to put on a clean one. But as he'd taken off the textile and uncovered our brother's chest and stomach he stayed still for a moment and just stared at his injuries.

"Oh my god…" I whispered in shock. There were deep cuts and bruises all over our poor brother's chest and stomach and it looked like several of his ribs were broken… The thought of the pain he must be in brought tears to my eyes and I felt a knot forming in the pit of my stomach.

"We need to clean the wounds." Elijah decided after a moment of silence before he disappeared into Nik's bathroom.

I slowly and carefully walked over to Nik from where I was standing in a corner of the room before I sat down on the edge of his bed and looked at him with pity in my eyes. "I shouldn't have let you go… This is my fault." I whispered as I could feel heavy guilt eating me up from inside. It was true. It was my fault. Elijah was gone and it was my job to keep Nick from doing anything stupid and I failed… And now he-… he is in pain because of me…

"…This is not your fault. Y- You told me not to go, remember?" he objected, his voice croaky and full of pain as he looked into my blue eyes with his own blue ones.

"I shouldn't have let you go…" I whispered again, hating myself for letting him go.

"…N- No, you couldn't have stopped me. …Y- you know how stubborn I can be sometimes." He said convincingly with so much pain in his voice as he gently placed his weak hand on mine.

I nodded slightly. Perhaps he was right…

"This is going to hurt…" Elijah said as he came in with a clean cloth and a bowl of transparent, warm water. He placed the bowl onto an antique nightstand near the bed before he drenched the cloth with water, wrung it out and started to clean the hybrid's first deep wound.

Nik hissed in pain and flinched but did his best to not scream.

"I'm sorry, brother." Elijah said just a second before his smartphone started to ring in his pocket. He looked at the display before he said "I have to take this one." "Here, could you please take over, sister?" he asked as he handed me the wet and lightly bloodied cloth.

I just nodded in response before he left the room, closing the door behind him.

I started to clean my brother's wounds as carefully as possible but it still caused him to hiss and flinch in pain.

I paused and whispered "I'm sorry." As I looked at him with an apologetic look in my eyes before I continued to carefully clean his deep wounds.

By the time Elijah returned, all of our brother's visible wounds were cleaned and the once transparent water had now taken a deep red colour.

Then Elijah helped Nik put on a clean, black pullover before he sat down on the other side of Nick's bed and silently looked at him with concern traceable in his eyes as he took his hand in his for a moment.

I noticed that there was sweat running down our poor, injured brother's forehead before I gently pressed my hand against it.

He closed his eyes, probably enjoying the refreshing feeling of my cool, dry hand against his hot, wet skin.

After a moment I turned to Elijah and said in a voice thick with concern "He's hot."

Nik started to lightly chuckle, which pained him.

I threw a confused glare at him before he whispered in a croaky voice and with a smirk on his face "Y- You think I'm hot."

I just rolled my eyes at him, neither confirming nor denying it.

"Children." Elijah sighed before he took the bowl and the cloth and disappeared into Nik's bathroom.

A moment later, he returned with a clean cloth and a bowl filled with clean water. He drenched the cloth with water, wrung it out and then handed it over to me, silently asking me to cool our brother's head with it as he started to text someone with his phone.

"Do you really think that now is the right time to text your girlfriend?" I asked slightly annoyed as I pressed the cloth against my poor other brother's hot forehead causing him to close his tired eyes in relief.

"I was sending someone out to find out what exactly those witches did to our brother." Elijah answered a hint of annoyance traceable in his voice before he got up walked over to the door, opened it, turned back to me and said in a tone that usually left no room for discussion "We need to talk."

I gave him an enquiring look. 'About what?' I thought, but I guessed that I would find out very soon anyway. I then looked back at Nick, leaned over to place a soft kiss on his hot forehead and looked deep into his blue eyes with my hands gently on the sides of his head before I whispered "I'll be right back. You'll stay here and get some rest, ok?"

Nik weakly nodded in response, probably not feeling strong enough to talk because of the fever.

I just silently looked at him for another brief moment, before I got up and walked past Elijah, through the door.

* * *

He followed me into the hallway and closed the door to Nick's bedroom behind him before stood in front of me, brushing the soft, blonde hair that covered the wound dresser on my forehead aside and said with a hint of anger or concern traceable in his other than that calm voice "You're bleeding."

It must have started to bleed again when my head hit the floor as Ethan pushed me earlier… "I'm fine, Elijah." I then lied, without looking into his brown eyes.

"You're wrist, too." He said and I still wasn't sure if it was concern or anger that I heard in his voice.

I looked down to my wrist and noticed that I forgot to bandage the bite up… Now my hand was covered from my wrist to my fingers in dark, red blood. Although I was a bit concerned about it, I lied and said "It's nothing. I'm fine."

"No, you're not. You can barely stand." Elijah objected, disappointment clearly written all over his face, disappointment over that I lied to him. And Before I could lie to him again, he said "Come now." Before he took my by the forearm and wrapped one arm carefully around my waste to steady me before he led me down to the ground floor and into the kitchen. After he placed his hands on my slim waste and hoisted me onto one of the bar chairs around the kitchen island as if I was a child, he pulled a handkerchief out of one of his suit pockets and took my slim wrist in his hand before he said with either concern or anger traceable in his voice "Those are biting marks."

"We were out of blood backs and I couldn't just sit around and do nothing." I explained trying to not sound offensive. I still didn't know in what mood my brother was in.

He stayed silent and just wrapped the fine textile around my wrist before he made a knot with the remaining two ends. He then went to the refrigerator, took out the orange juice and poured it into a glace before he placed it onto the kitchen island in front of me and said "Here, you're pale. You lost too much blood for one day and are already injured."

I wanted to object but I knew that it was pointless so I just silently took a sip of the orange liquid before I placed back onto the island.

My brother then brushed the golden hair that covered the wound dresser in the corner of my upper forehead aside again before he carefully pulled of the wound dresser and put it onto the kitchen island.

As I saw that it was drenched in blood and felt something warm rushing down the side of my head I started to feel a bit perturbed…

"Stay put." Elijah ordered calmly before he disappeared into the hallway.

"…You can't always boss me around." I muttered under my breath but did as he told me to.

He had an excellent hearing so I knew that he heard me, but it seemed like he chose to ignore my complain. A brief moment later, he returned with some compresses and a wound dresser before he put them onto the island. He then took my delicate chin in his hand, gently raising it so that he could have a better look at the wound before he started to press some of the compresses on the wound causing me to hiss in pain.

"I'm sorry, sister." He said and being aware of his tone and the expression on his face as I looked up at him, I still wasn't sure if he was angry or worried…

I looked back to the hallway and thought of Nik… my poor brother… he was ill and in pain and instead of being with him and taking care of him, I'm down here letting Elijah play doctor with me- _not like that of course._

"Hold still." He ordered me, _again_, as he took my chin in his hand and gently raised it again so that he could have a better look at the wound.

Didn't I just tell him to stop bossing me around? However I did as he ordered and held my head still, as he gently wiped the blood off the side of my pretty face and then looked back at the wound.

"It's deep…" he murmured before he took the new wound dresser and applied it on the wound causing me to hiss in pain again. "I'm sorry." He apologized again before he silently took a seat on the bar stool beside me and just stared out of one of the antique, French windows into the dark night.

After a moment of silence, he sighed, turned to me and took my hands gently in his before he asked with a serious expression on his face "How did this happen?"

He was asking about the colourful bruises on my wrists.

Once again I tried to block out the images of what happened last night, but failed. Tears welled up in my eyes and I looked down so that Elijah wouldn't notice as the images started to run through my mind again… _Him_ touching me… forcing _his_ disgusting, wet tongue into my mouth… pinning me to the cold, hard ground, trapped beneath the weight of _his_ body… _his_ bad breath on my warm skin… I just couldn't get it out of my head.

"Rebekah, what did those men do to you?" He asked, apprehension traceable in his voice as he asked about what happened last night. He only knew that I've been robbed, I didn't tell him about the rest…

I stayed silent and kept my eyes cast down so I wouldn't have to look at him. I knew that I would start crying if I looked at him and I wasn't sure if I would be able to stop again…

"Did-" he started but then paused, probably trying to keep his emotions in check. "Did they…?" he asked through gritted teeth avoiding to say the word.

I silently shook my head in response, still averting eye contact before I explained quietly in a shaky voice while fighting against the tears that threatened to fall out of my blue eyes "No …one of them tried to but Nik found me just in time before-… Nik killed him."

"And the other one?" Elijah asked, a wave of hot anger traceable in his usually so calm voice.

"…He left before Nik found me." I explained trying my best not to cry.

"This wouldn't have happened if you had chosen to go with me." Elijah growled angrily through gritted teeth, banging his fist on the table and causing me to flinch.

This was something I didn't expect. I didn't know my brother like that. He was _calm_ and _nice_ and _polite_. He was never _angry_\- at least not with me…

So this was what his strange behaviour earlier was all about, he wasn't worried, he was angry at me for choosing to stay with Nik instead of leaving with him after their big argument last week.

"…Bekah?" He asked after he calmed down in a moment of silence before he carefully took my chin in his hand and gently forced me to look at him. "I'm sorry, sister, I-" he started apologetically but then was stopped by me starting to cry.

I could no longer hold back my tears as I looked into his brown eyes and started to sob loudly.

He nearly jumped off his seat, took me into his arms and held my head to his chest.

I cried into his chest with everything I had, fisting my hands into his shirt, sobs racking my fragile frame as I did so. I was sobbing so hard my stomach hurt.

He just held me in his arms and stroked gently with his hand over my golden head while he whispered soothingly "Shhh… it's ok, little sister. I'm here… You're save… I won't let anything happen to you, I promise." He then placed a soft kiss on top of my golden head before he gently rested his chin on it.

We stayed like that for a while as I desperately sought comfort in the arms of my big brother.

I didn't know how much time had passed until I finally stopped crying.

He pulled back slightly to look down into my sore, blue eyes before he gently wiped away my tears with his thump and asked carefully "Are you ok?"

I silently nodded in response, not trusting my voice to sound clear after all the crying.

"Did you eat anything today?" Elijah asked after a moment.

I only looked down in response, which was enough for him to know that I didn't eat anything today. But I just didn't feel hungry… why should I waste my time with eating if I didn't even feel hungry?

"I'll make you something" he decided.

But before he could walk over to the refrigerator I said with a hoarse voice from all the crying "I'm not hungry."

"You haven't eaten anything today. You are hungry." Elijah retorted.

I just silently stared at him. I had no desire to fight over this.

"Please, sister, it doesn't even have to be much. Just a snack, ok?" He offered, not wanting to let go of the subject. "For me?" he added.

I stopped starring and sighed as I gave in. "…Fine, if it makes you happy."

A moment later, Elijah placed a plate with a sandwich onto the kitchen island in front of me.

"Thank you." I thanked him before I took a small bite and lay it back down onto the plate. It was delicious, but that changed nothing at the fact that I wasn't hungry…

Elijah gently stroked with his hand over my golden head, placed a soft kiss on it and whispered contently "Good girl." before he walked out of the kitchen.

Halfway through the open kitchen doors I stopped him by asking lightly confused "Wait, where are you going?"

He turned around to look at me as he explained with his usual calm voice "I'll check on our brother."

"I'm coming with you." I decided.

I was just about to jump off the bar stool as he stopped me by saying in his stern, big brotherly tone that usually left no room for discussion. "No, you're not leaving this room until that plate is empty."

"I'm not a child, Elijah, you can't talk to me like this." I objected slightly annoyed by his behaviour. I knew that he meant well, but… sometimes it was really annoying.

"No, but you're my little sister." He said in _that_ tone again before he gave me a stern look and walked out of the room to check on our poor, injured brother.

* * *

Just as I was about to take another bite of the sandwich my smartphone started to ring. After I placed the snack back down on the plate I reached for my phone and saw that the number was unavailable.

I frowned before I picked up and started with a "Hello?"

"I see you still haven't left town." I heard Ethan's voice saying with a hint of anger traceable in it.

"Ethan." I said his name as if it was poison. As if it was acid burning into my tongue.

"How's your brother doing? Is he still suffering because of you?" He asked with faked concern in his voice.

"You didn't do whatever it is that was done to him, the witches did. So don't think you can fool me and make me feel guilty so that I give in and leave town." I retorted angrily. How stupid did he thought I was?

"And who do you think warned the witches and gave them the spell they needed to put your brother down?" Ethan asked with faked politeness in his dark voice.

"What?" I asked in shock as I started to realise that the agony my brother was in was my entire fault.

"Leave town or Elijah will be next." Ethan threatened menacingly before he hung up.

This was all my fault… My poor brother is lying upstairs in pain because of me… Because I was stubborn and underestimated Ethan… What if Nik will never get better again? What if he'll hate me for not telling him about Ethan's threats? Oh my god… and what will he do to Elijah? Will he make him suffer like he does with Nik? Or worse… What if he finds the white oak stake and kills Elijah? They're my _family_… they're all I have. I can't lose them…

If leaving town means saving my family, I'll do it. I would do anything to protect them.

I got off the bar chair and quietly walked into our entrance, to make sure no one heard me, before I took one of my leather jackets off the antique coat rack near the front door and quietly left the mansion.

* * *

**Song recommendation****:**

**"****Unarmed" by "Mariah McManus" (play it in the next scene)**

* * *

I stepped out of the bus. Although I've just left New Orleans, I already started to feel homesick… New Orleans was my home, my family lived there… I missed them terribly… My heart was so heavy it felt as if it weighed a ton.

I was now walking down an alley as I thought about what to do next. I left my car at home because I knew that my siblings would have heard the engine, besides, with my headache and the dizziness I was in no condition to drive.

Should I take a train? Or should I take the bus to the next airport in the next town and leave the country? What shall I do without my family? Who am I without them? I've never been anywhere without at least one of my siblings…

I was pulled out of my thoughts by the ringing of my smartphone. I took it out of the pocket of my leather jacket and stopped in my slow tracks as I saw who the caller was, _Elijah_. I stared at the ringing piece of technology in my hands, contemplating if I should take the call or not… And before I knew it, I picked up.

"Hello, brother." I said trying to hide the sadness in my voice.

"Rebekah, where are you? Are you ok? Are you hurt?" He asked without even bothering to say 'hello' first, thick concern clearly audible in his hectic voice.

"I'm fine… you don't have to worry." I tried to calm him. Hearing his voice brought tears to my eyes and I could feel a knot forming in the pit of my stomach…

"Rebekah, where are you?" Elijah asked with so much concern in his voice as I didn't answer his question.

I took a closer look at my surroundings. There were no buildings, but trees that surrounded the alley. There were fields of something I couldn't recognise due to the lack of street lights growing in the distance. There were stars sparkling beautifully in the dark night sky above me and the white, glowing moon was nearly full.

"How is Nik doing? Is he better now?" I suddenly heard me asking after a short moment of silence.

"He's starting to heal again. Just tell me where you are and I'll pick you up." He said still not the slightest bit as calm as he usually was.

"…I am not coming home again, Elijah." I confessed, my calm voice thick with sadness as I tried so hard to fight back my tears and not let all the emotions I was feeling get into my voice. Sadness… Pain… Fear… Weakness… Fatigue… Coldness… but most of all …_Loneliness._

"What? _No._ What are you talking about? Just tell me where you are." He said in a mixture of confusion and fear.

I knew that this must be as hard for him as it was for me… "I love you, both of you... and I will always love you and think of you, no matter where I am or what I'm doing. You'll always be my family and I will miss you so much…" I said in a shaky voice with chills running over my skin as I could no longer hold back my tears.

"What? No. Just tell me where you are, Rebekah." Elijah demanded, a mixture of sadness, anger and confusion clearly audible in his voice. "We can talk about this. Whatever it is, we'll find a solution. We always do."

I swallowed hard, trying my best not to start sobbing again. "I'm sorry, brother… " I apologised with tears of loss rolling down my cheeks. "Please, tell Nik that I'll miss him-" I stiffened a sob in my throat before I continued, trying with all my power to not break down and sob my heart out "… and that I love him."

"Reb-" I heard Elijah saying before I hung up.

I sunk down to my knees and started sobbing my heart out as I could no longer hold it back. _I would never see my family again._

* * *

**Author's Note****:**

**So here it is, the next chapter. Thank you for spending your precious time on reading it. I hope you liked it, if so, please leave a review! ****_Honestly, I really need your reviews!_**

**A BIG THANK YOU goes out to the lovely reviewer "xxdonedirtcheapxx" and the lovely mystery reviewer "HermioneMalfoy"! Your reviews mean so much to me and I'm grateful that some people take the time to write them. :)**

**As always: ****_PLEASE REVIEW!_**


	25. Chapter 25

**Disclaimer****: **

**The title of the story is taken from the song "Who you are" by "Jessie J".  
****I do not own the mentioned song all rights belong to their rightful owners.  
****I do not own the song "Terrible Love" by "The National" all rights belong to their rightful owners.  
****Unfortunately, I do not own any of the characters nor do I own "the Originals" or "the Vampire Diaries" all rights belong to their rightful owners.**

**Previously****:**

**Here is just some useful information for this chapter about what happened lately, because it's been a while since my last update:**

**\- Klaus and Rebekah had a moment in which he confessed to her that he is afraid of losing her.  
****\- Rebekah promised Klaus that she would stay with him, always and forever.  
****\- Ethan told Rebekah to leave New Orleans and threatened that he would hurt her family if she didn't leave.  
****\- Rebekah didn't listen to Ethan.  
****\- Klaus returned home suffering from a spell shortly after Ethan left.  
****\- Elijah, who still didn't made up with Klaus, returned to the mansion from his beautiful life with Hayley, who is carrying Klaus' child, to help his brother.  
****\- Rebekah stopped lying to Elijah and confessed that she has almost been raped the day before.  
****\- Elijah comforted his little sister and took care of her.  
****\- Rebekah found out that Ethan was responsible for Klaus' suffering, not the witches.  
****\- Ethan threatened that he would hurt Elijah as well, if Rebekah wouldn't leave New Orleans.  
****\- In order to protect the people she loves, Rebekah left New Orleans.**

* * *

**Chapter 25**

It's been a year. It's been a whole year since I've left New Orleans …since I've left my family. To normal mortals time is precious. Sometimes it's everything to them… But if you can't age, time loses its meaning… a month… a year... a century... It has no meaning to you if your life has no natural date of expiry.

For a while I just travelled around, lived and had some fun. I was in Hong Kong, Tokyo, New York, Barcelona, Paris and London. But I never stayed much longer than a few days… No matter where I went, I've already been there at least once with my family. And although I enjoyed the freedom, I never felt truly happy…

When I was in Brisbane, I awoke in hospital. The doctors told me that I lost consciousness in a boutique and that I had a bleeding in my brain. One of them, a neurologist with perfect dark brown hair and kind, blue eyes, told me that it was there for quite a while and that I could have died if they hadn't found it. I silently thought of the monster that tried to rape me a month ago and that the bleeding in my brain was probably originated as my head hit a wall because of him… For a while I had to stay in hospital, because of my treatment, until I was perfectly healthy again.

After I got discharged, I couldn't stop thinking about all the poor, deathly ill humans I saw during my time in hospital and how hopeless some of them seemed. I couldn't stop thinking about all those poor young children I saw on the paediatric ward and how weak and sad they looked sometimes…

I still didn't know who I was and I still hadn't found my place in this world, but I knew that I wanted to help. During my time as an original vampire I killed countless of people without wasting a second thought on them… and although I knew that I could never make up for that, I wanted to at least try to. I wanted to_ help _people. I wanted to _heal_ people. I wanted to _save lives_ instead of taking them. So I spend the rest of the year with studying medicine in Brisbane.

Although I was no longer an original vampire, I still knew almost _everything_ and was _very_ smart. I was one of the best students. I liked my professors …well, most of them… and I liked my fellow students. I even found a friend, _Amelia_.

Amy was a 20-year-old girl with dark brown hair, blue eyes and pale skin. Her outer appearance reminded me of April Young, but that was not the reason why we became friends. Amy was nice and kind and she accepted me the way I am. I could trust her. I always sat beside her during our lectures and helped her if she didn't understand something. Having a friend- Having a _real_ friend was… _nice._

I usually didn't have any friends…

I was living in a nice modern house at the beach and when I wasn't learning, I spend my time with relaxing on the white beach together with Amy. Although I couldn't get tan, I loved the feeling of the warm sun tickling my soft skin.

Of course not everything was perfect and nice…

Every time I tried to find love, I messed up… It was the same cycle over and over again. I found someone to care about. I fell in love. We snogged. But every time I believed that I got over what almost happened last year, and wanted to go further …I suddenly couldn't. I got flashbacks of how I got almost raped a year ago and got scared and panicked before I pushed my latest lover away…

But that wasn't the only thing that weighed heavily on my mind…

I still missed my family …terribly. Every day I thought of them and what they would be doing… Did they miss me too? Were they angry at me? What was my little niece doing? Did they tell her about her auntie? I changed my number one day after I left New Orleans. I wouldn't have been able to stay away if I had talked to my siblings… It would have made me miss them even more…

* * *

I was walking over the campus to our next lecture together with Amy when it happened. It was a nice sunny day and the light breeze stirred the hem of my light, white, spaghetti-strap summer dress above my knees. We were talking about one of our professors. Professor Ryan Brown. He was a good looking relatively young man with extraordinary green eyes _and_ Amy fancied him. She just started to slobber over our professor as I heard _him_.

"Hello, sister." I heard his voice from behind me and I abruptly stopped in my tracks.

_God._ I didn't realise how much I've truly missed his voice until I heard it in that moment…

"Rebekah, what is it?" Amy, who, after a few further steps, noticed that I was no longer walking beside her, asked as she turned to look back at me.

She was so nice… so kind. She could make me laugh even when I was sad… She liked me for who I was… She accepted me with all my flaws… She was the only friend I had on this earth. My only _true_ friend… I couldn't let her get caught up in my family drama. She didn't deserve that. _She was my friend._

"Nothing, I just forgot my books in the lecture theatre." I lied. And it hurt me so much to lie to my only friend… "Why don't you go ahead and I'll come after?" I suggested with a faked smile.

"Ok, see ya." She said in her happy, cheery voice with one of her typical charismatic smiles on her face, before she turned around and continued to walk over the busy campus to our next lecture.

Amy was one of those people who always smile. A genuine and happy smile. Who are always nice and helpful to everyone. Who would never judge over a person and who could cheer you up with their mere presence. Oh, how I wished I could be like her… carefree and happy.

As I turned around to see him walking over to where I was standing, his hands folded behind his back, he commented "I see you found yourself a little playfellow." There was an undertone in his faked kind voice that told me that he didn't like it at all.

"Nik…" I gasped. _Nik._ It felt so strange but also so familiar to let his name roll off my tongue after so much time… It stirred up so many emotions inside of me...

Oh, how I've missed seeing his all too familiar face… The face I've known since I can think…

But what I didn't like was _that_ expression on his face… I knew _that_ look on his face. That calmness… No matter how good he was at hiding his anger, his eyes would always betray it. Although… this time there was also something else in his blue eyes... Something I wasn't able to put my finger on…

"What are you doing here?" I asked as he stopped in front of me and I found my voice again.

He looked so out of place. Everyone was wearing shorts, T-shirts and summer dresses to escape the heat while he was standing there in his black leather jacket, one of his typical leather necklaces, a black V-neck pullover and jeans. Another perk of being a hybrid or a vampire, you can't feel the heat nor can you freeze.

"I think the better question would be, what are _you_ doing here?" He asked with _that_ look on his face and anger traceable in his voice.

I just silently looked down to my feet. Of course I felt guilty for abandoning my family… But it was the only way to protect them. Who knows what Ethan would have done to them if I had stayed?

But I couldn't tell my brother about it… Who knows how Ethan would react if I told my siblings about his threats and that he was the one who is responsible for the spell that had been put on Nik a year ago? Although… actually it was my fault. I underestimated Ethan and didn't leave town when he told me to the first time…

"Do you have any idea how hard it was to find you?" He asked a mixture of accusation and anger traceable in his voice.

"Apparently not hard enough…" I muttered under my breath, my gaze still cast down.

Of course I love my family and leaving them was the hardest thing I have ever done, but… I had my reasons why I broke contact to them. If I had talked to them and heard their voices or if I had seen them, I'm not sure if I would have been able to stay away…

He just chuckled amusedly at my remark and shook his head.

"What do you want, Nik?" I asked honestly as I looked up at him.

"Oh nothing really, I just came here to bring you back to New Orleans." He said it in a light tone with a smile of faked kindness on his lips as if it was the most natural thing in the world. As if it was a suggestion. But we both knew that it was anything but a suggestion.

Although I terribly missed my family, I couldn't go back. Because of Ethan... …and because of my life here. I just started to feel like I found my place in this world. I build a life for me here. I had a true friend and found something I really loved and was passionate about. Something that would make me be able to _help_ people. Something that would give me a purpose.

After a short moment of silence, I tried my best to hide all the mixed emotions I was feeling and forced myself to say "I'm not coming with you."

Seeing him made me miss my family much more than I could have ever thought possible and if I had talked to him for one more second I might wouldn't have been able to stay in Brisbane.

Love for my family… Sadness… Homesickness… and a dozen of other emotions I couldn't name were wrapped around my heart, lacing it up in my chest, making it feel indescribably heavy and tight…

I wasn't able to make even five steps after I turned around and left when I was stopped by the grip of Nik's hand on my almost bare shoulder as he suddenly stepped menacingly in front of me. His grip around my shoulder was tight. Not so tight that it would make me scream in pain but just tight enough to make it hurt a bit. _To get my attention._

"Let me rephrase, little sister. You will come back with me or I will throw you over my shoulder and carry you back to New Orleans myself." My controlling, over-abrasive brother threatened in a serious and deadly voice accompanied with a lethal look in his eyes as he stared down at me.

I jutted out my chin in defiance as I looked up at him with the same lethal glare he was giving me. He was the only person on this earth that could make me feel sad and emotional in the one second, and then angry and defensive in the other.

I weighed out my options before I realised that there was no way he would let me stay there. There was no point in fighting for my life here. My big brother was an original hybrid and just as stubborn as I, perhaps even more... No matter what I would do, I would lose.

"Fine." I sighed eventually in reluctant acceptance. "I'm coming with you…" I muttered.

Who knows, perhaps Ethan or the people he worked for gave up on whatever they wanted from my family? It's been a year.

My brother's tight grip around my shoulder loosened and his face lit up as he said in a light tone, as if he was talking to a child "See? It wasn't that hard, was it, love?"

I just silently looked up at him with sad eyes in response. This was typical for my big brother. As soon as he gets bored and unhappy he wants to make sure that everyone else doesn't get to be happy, too.

As he gently placed his hand on the small of my back and guided me to his car with a content smile on his lips, I already started to miss my life here before I was even out of the country...

* * *

_4 hours later…_

We've spend the last three and a half hours in silence on our families' private jet on our 15 hour flight back to New Orleans.

A few years ago Nik decided that our family needed its own private jet, because he hated flying with commercial aircrafts. He said that he loathed it to be in confined spaces with a large amount of humans and that he couldn't bear all the talking and the wailing of the children from the economy class. So he just had to have a private jet made. I think it was an Airbus A380 or something like that, I didn't really care. All I knew was that the thing looked like a portable palace and that we had our own bedrooms in it.

I originally flopped into one of the couches in our large living room that was kept in a modern design, but Nik deliberately sat down on the opposite couch although I made it more than clear that I was angry at him on our way to the airport. So I got up, took one of the armchairs in the corner of the room and spend the last three and a half hours with silently staring out of the cabin window so that I wouldn't have to look at him.

Of course I've terribly missed my family and my home… and I would have felt much more excited to come back if Nik hadn't, once again, taken a decision away from me by using threats to make me do what he wants. Besides, I just found my place in this world and then had to give it up again together with the only true friend I had on this earth without even saying goodbye to her…

I wasn't just angry at my brother, I was _hurt_.

"You can't spend the next 11 hours with pouting, you know?" I heard him saying from where he was lolling on one of the couches near the centre of the cabin.

I knew that it was an attempt to make peace again, but I didn't care. "I'm not _pouting_." I objected instead, my gaze still lingering on the clouds and the sea outside the window.

Although I wasn't looking at him, I could practically _feel_ him rolling his eyes at me.

* * *

I was awoken by someone lightly tugging at my shoulder.

"Miss Mikaelson?" I could hear a female voice addressing me as I slowly opened my eyes to bright light.

My eyes needed a moment to adjust to the bright light of my environment as I slowly sat up. I noticed that I was no longer in the living room of the plane but half sitting half lying in the modern king size bed of my bedroom.

"We've landed." The stewardess informed me as she stood beside the bed.

"How long have I been sleeping?" I asked in a croaky voice, pulling the covers off me as I rearranged the soft, white fabric of my summer dress.

"Something about 10 hours, I think." The slim, uniformed woman replied in a kind voice.

As I took a closer look at her I couldn't believe that she managed to get me from the living room on the other end of the plane into my bedroom. She was so skinny.

She must have figured what I was thinking by the look I gave her, because she explained in her kind voice "Your brother carried you."

"Ah." I only managed to say not wanting her to notice the anger that came up in me. I didn't want him to take care of me, I was still angry at him!

Handing me a hair comb she informed me "He's waiting in the car. Is there anything else I can do for you, Miss?"

"No, you may leave." I replied, combing my long, golden hair that probably looked like a total mess after a 10 hour slumber before I got off the plane.

* * *

"Still pouting, I see." Nik commented as I got into the front passenger seat of his black SUV without saying a word, giving him nothing but the devil's eye.

I was just silently glaring at him for a moment as he started the engine before I clarified in a firm tone of voice "Like I told you before: I'm not _pouting_."

Although he turned his head to look at me with a raised brow that was supposed to let me believe that he thought I was behaving childishly, there was a hint of emotion traceable in his blue eyes that told me that he knew exactly how unfair and disrespectful it was of him to force me to come back home. He was just too pride and too stubborn to admit, let alone apologize for it.

But there was also something else traceable in his eyes… something sad… Something I wasn't able to put my finger on… I had the feeling that something might be wrong…

* * *

The rest of the ride home was spent in silence. Just after Nik parked the car in front of our mansion, I immediately got out of it and quickly walked into the house without even bothering to wait for him as I slammed the door shut behind me.

It was so infuriating! Couldn't he just admit that he did a mistake and apologize for it!?

As I was about to ascend the stairs to go and lock myself up in my room, so that I wouldn't have to see the face of that miserable excuse for a sibling that would walk through the front door by any second, I was suddenly interrupted as the air got knocked out of my lungs by someone's strong arms crashing my slim frame to his chest and hugging me so tight I couldn't breathe.

"Rebekah, thank god you're alive…" I heard Elijah's voice sighing in relieve.

"Elijah… I can't breathe…" I complained in a choky little voice.

"I'm sorry, sister." He apologized as he quickly pulled back, one hand still resting on my almost bare shoulder as he scanned me for any injuries.

Seeing that I was perfectly fine he pulled me into another hug, this time being more careful.

I could hear the front door being opened and shut in the background before I heard someone, probably Nik, disappearing into one of the other rooms.

"Don't you ever do this to me again…" Elijah whispered, not wanting to let ever go of me again.

In that very moment I realised how much pain I must have brought upon my poor big brother. The reason why I left was to protect him not to make him feel miserable… But… I somehow felt as if there was a bit more to his emotionality… I didn't know what it was. But I just had that feeling that something wasn't right…

I slowly pulled back, looking up into his kind, brown eyes with my big, watery, blue ones from the suffocating feeling of guilt in my chest as I whispered apologetically "Elijah… I am so, so sorry… I-"

"What? Are my siblings being cuddly without me?" I heard a too familiar voice filled with faked, childish disappointment asking. A voice I thought I'd never hear again…

"Kol!" I squealed with glee as I ran over to where he was standing and threw myself at him, almost throwing him off balance.

"I've missed you too, baby sister." My only immature brother laughed as he hugged me back.

"How is this possible?" I asked as I pulled back after a moment and took a closer look at him.

He was in his original body. He was looking down at me with the face I've known my whole life… I thought I'd never see him again after that bloody Gilbert boy killed him…

"Ah, you know me. No matter how dramatic and messed up this family is I can never manage to stay away for much long." He explained with one of his typical mischievous smiles on his face.

As I looked back over my shoulder, I noticed that Elijah has left.

I just couldn't shake off the feeling that something was wrong with him so I turned back to Kol and asked carefully "Did something happen? I think something is wrong with Elijah… and earlier I somehow had the feeling that something was troubling Nik as well."

The look on Kol's face dampened and I instantly knew that something was wrong indeed.

"You don't know?" He asked in a mixture of surprise and confusion. "How could you… you were gone for a year."

He silently looked down for a moment, causing my mind to race with thoughts of what could have happened, before he looked at me again and said "Hayley is dead."

"_What?_" I gasped in shock. "No. No, she can't be." I said more to myself than to him in denial as my eyes slowly got watery.

I kicked her out of the mansion because I was jealous of her being pregnant, while I lost my child. I never apologised to her… I always thought that I'd have all the time in the world to apologise for the way I treated her and now it was too late…

Poor Elijah… He _loved_ her. He loved her with all his heart and now she is dead… How could he ever recover from that? He deserves to be happy! Why does this always happen to my family?

I knew that I said I felt like Amy was my only true friend on this earth… but despite our argument, Hayley was the closest thing to the sister I always wanted but never had…

As I looked around, I suddenly realised that something was missing. The mansion was silent and there were no cuddly toys or anything like that lying around… A ball of dread formed in the pit of my stomach as I forced myself to ask "Where is our niece?"

For a moment, Kol's gaze dropped to the floor again, before he looked back at me with so much sadness in his chocolate brown eyes, the same eyes Elijah had, and said "…It happened a few months ago. Hayley died one week before her due date … Our niece is dead, Bex."

I didn't know what to say. All I knew is that I could no longer hold back my tears and started crying.

My youngest older brother was there in an instant, taking me into his arms and holding my head to his chest. I could feel that the loss of our sweet, little niece hurt him just as much as it hurt me.

Oh my god… I couldn't imagine how hard it must be for Nik.

Well… actually I knew exactly how he must be feeling. I've lost my children too. The first one when I was turned and the second one the night Jason died… Losing your child is an indescribably painful experience… It changes you forever… You never stop grieving. Of course you grow and develop as a person, but… you never completely process the loss.

I suddenly felt terrible for being so mean to Nik on our way back home… If I had known what happened, I wouldn't have been so harsh to him…

After I had stopped crying, I pulled back, looked up at Kol and asked in a voice thick of concern and guilt "How is Nik dealing with it?"

Kol just silently shook his head in response as his gaze wandered back to the floor for a brief moment.

It was obvious. He was worried about our brother, too.

"Elijah told me that Nik lost it and smashed up the mansion when he found out that you left. Then he locked himself up in the mansion for months and grew colder and more indifferent by the day… I know that our brother is anything but a warm-hearted person, but Elijah said that one day he realised that Nik wasn't hiding his humanity like he always does, he turned it off."

Tears came to my eyes again and a knot of unbearable guilt formed in the pit of my stomach as Kol told me what happened while I was gone…

"When our niece died, he left the mansion for the first time in months only to go on a killing spree and kill everyone that he crossed paths with. …That was the first time I saw our brother feeling emotions since I got back." Kol told me in a voice thick of concern and grieve.

I felt so terrible… I should have been there for him… But I had to go. Leaving was the only way to save him from the suffering Ethan brought upon him…

"I-… I need some time to process this." I told Kol with watery blue eyes, before I went upstairs.

* * *

**Song recommendation****: **

**"****Terrible Love" by "The National" (play it in the next scene)**

* * *

On my way to my room I walked past the opened French doors to Nik's studio in the back of the mansion. I couldn't help but stop in the threshold and take a look into the room.

It was full of canvases. Wet once and dried once filling the corners of the room. Framed paintings decorated the walls. I couldn't help but walk into the studio.

I always knew that my brother was an amazing, talented artist… Tears came to my eyes as I admired his paintings…

There were paintings that showed Nik holding a little baby girl in his arms. _His_ little baby girl. They showed so much joy… love… anger… sadness… darkness… and paranoia at the same time… He probably made them after his daughter- _my niece_\- died…

There was one painting that showed all of us. Nik in the centre together with Hayley as they held their daughter in their arms, Elijah on the left beside Hayley with one arm around her shoulder, me on the right, right next to Nik and even Kol was there with one of his classic, mischievous smirks gracing his face. We looked so happy… so peaceful… It was probably made before I left… Before everything fell apart…

There were paintings of me… Sad paintings… kept in cold, dark colours… I looked sad and scared on them… I looked lonely and lost… I often felt like that after I left…

There were oil paintings, kept in dark colours… some of them were still wet… They expressed unspeakable pain and loneliness… darkness… They showed exactly how I was feeling when I was sitting all alone in my house at the beach, in Brisbane, in the evenings… when I got sad and homesick and missed my family terribly... Nik must have felt the same way…

"You shouldn't be in here." I heard Nik's so familiar but also so broken voice saying half-heartedly from the doorway.

I turned around with watery eyes, because of all the feelings his paintings stirred up in me, to find him standing in the doorway with a nearly empty bottle of bourbon in his hand.

"Nik, I had no idea… I am so sorry about your little baby girl…" I apologised with a voice full of sympathy and compassion.

"How could you? You weren't here." He said coldly in his lightly drunk state, anger traceable in his voice and eyes.

"I-" I started with the same soft voice.

"NO!" He cut me off loudly, his voice thick with anger. "All day you were angry at me and behaved like you are the victim," He hissed with an accusing finger pointed at me, taking one step into the room "when _I'm _the one who was betrayed!"

"**I'M THE WRONGED ONE!**" He bellowed at me with so many emotions displayed on his face and an empathizing finger pressed to his chest.

I tried my best to fight back my tears of guilt as I listened to him.

"You left me…" He said with so much pain in his voice as he took another step towards me from the other side of the room. "**YOU LEFT ME!**" My hybrid brother exclaimed in a lethal mixture of pain and anger. „I tried my best to be nice and behave as if I got over it on our way back, because it was clear to me that leaving that petty city on the other end of the world was hard for you... But I can't do this anymore! **YOU LEFT ME!**" My upset brother yelled in a voice shaking with emotion.

All I could do was trying not to cry as I felt a huge ball of guilt mixed with a hint of angst growing in the pit of my stomach.

"The day I confessed my fear of losing you to you, the day I told you how much you mean to me, the day you _promised me_ that you weren't going anywhere, in the moment I was the weakest and needed you the most… **YOU ABANDONED ME!**" He bellowed at me again in a voice filled with countless different emotions.

"I told you how much you mean to me…" he said in a sad trembling voice and with watery blue eyes as he slowly approached me again stopping about two feet in front of me. "You knew it and you still **LEFT ME!**" Nik smashed the almost empty bottle of bourbon against one of the walls causing it to shatter into little pieces and me to wince.

"Do you have any idea how _worried_ I was about you!? The last time you ran away you got robbed, injured and nearly raped! I didn't hear anything from you for a _whole year!_ I couldn't find you! **I FEARED YOU WERE DEAD!**" He bellowed at me in a loud voice vibrating with hot anger and pain as he menacingly came closer and closer, causing me to move backwards until my back was pressed flat against one of the walls of the room.

I was shaking with fear, winced and shut my eyes tightly as Nik grabbed me by my almost bare shoulders and nearly yelled into my face "**YOU ABANDONED ME! **...**YOU ABANDONED ****_ME!_**"

He got silent for a moment as the expression on his face hardened. Letting go of my shoulders, but not moving an inch back to gain some space between us, my hybrid brother looked down his nose at me, his face mere inches from mine, as he said in a much calmer, menacing voice. "The only reason why I brought you back here was so that I wouldn't have to worry about you anymore… But from this moment on, _you_ are no longer my sister." He paused for a brief moment, his hatred filled eyes never leaving my wet, angst-filled ones as he continued. "You will stay in this mansion and you are only allowed to leave it with either Elijah or Kol, but from now on you will _never_ speak to me again. You've relinquished that right, the moment you decided to walk out of that door a year ago."

Nik stared down at me for a few more seconds, probably relishing the visible feeling of fear he brought upon my face, before he turned on his heel and walked out of the room.

I couldn't fight against my tears anymore as I felt them escaping my eyes and rolling down my cheeks while that feeling of guilt in the pit of my stomach turned into a mixture of unbearable sadness and grieve.

_I just lost my brother…_

I withdrew from the wall and walked out of the room as I was suddenly pulled aside by my forearm.

"Hey, Bex, are you ok?" I heard Kol asking, concern audible in his voice.

I looked up into his brown eyes with my own teary blue ones to find a pitying look in them that told me that he heard what Nik said about me nearly getting raped last year. "Oh, just shut up, Kol." I hissed bitterly at him, yanking my arm free from his grasp before I disappeared into my room.

'When I asked Nik a year ago to not tell anyone that I nearly got raped, he apparently thought I meant I want him to tell _everyone_ what happened!' I thought sarcastically as I slammed the door to my room shut behind me.

* * *

**Author's Note****:**

**Hey everyone, :)**

**First of all I would like to apologise to you, my lovely readers, for the delay. I actually planned to update this chapter two weeks ago but then I got ill and couldn't write it. But now I'm healthy again and back with this new chapter! **

**So thank you for being patient with me and for spending your precious time on reading it. I hope you liked it, if so, please leave a review! **

**A BIG THANK YOU goes out to the lovely reviewer "ilovemustard" as well as the lovely mystery reviewers "Yasmindb" and "KlebekahLove"! :)**

**_WOW!_ I am thrilled by the fact that this story has over _100 _reviews! I would never have dreamed that I get _100_ reviews on this fanfic and I would like to thank every one of you, who has ever reviewed on this story, for your feedback! I'm so grateful that some people still take the time to write reviews. _You_ are the reason why I don't quit writing! :D**

**As always: ****_PLEASE REVIEW!_**


	26. Chapter 26

**Disclaimer****: **

**The title of the story is taken from the song "Who you are" by "Jessie J".**

**I do not own the mentioned song all rights belong to their rightful owners.**

**Unfortunately, I do not own any of the characters nor do I own "the Originals" or "the Vampire Diaries" all rights belong to their rightful owners.**

**Previously****:**

_**I strongly advise to read the "Previously" of chapter 25, before reading this! (And maybe you should reread the last scene of chapter 25 too…)**_

**Here is just some useful information for this chapter about what happened lately:**

**\- After Rebekah left New Orleans she broke contact to her family and spent the majority of her time away in Brisbane, Australia, where she went to medical school. Although she missed her family horribly, she managed to make a really good friend. A girl called Amelia (Amy).**

**\- After one year, Klaus manages to find Rebekah in Brisbane and forces her to come back to New Orleans with him, much to Rebekah's chagrin.**

**\- After being reunited with her siblings in New Orleans she finds out that Kol is back from the dead and that Hayley and the baby are dead.**

**\- Rebekah starts to feel bad for being so harsh to Klaus on their way back to New Orleans when she finds out that he just lost his child.**

**\- Elijah seems to be devastated over the loss of his beloved Hayley.**

**\- Klaus and Rebekah had a huge fight in which he let out all his penned up anger, sadness, fear of abandonment and frustration over Rebekah's betrayal when she left him.**

**\- In his anger, Klaus forbid Rebekah to ever address him again and disowned her.**

* * *

**Chapter 26**

It was morning and I just awoke to the sunrays of Louisiana's beautiful morning sun streaming through the antique French windows of my bedroom.

I've spend the rest of the night in my room trying to get some sleep, but I barely got any. I just couldn't stop thinking about what Nik said… He was the only constant I've ever had in my life and now he disowned me… I understood that I've hurt him when I left, but… I had too. It was the only way to save him from the suffering Ethan brought upon him.

I wish I could tell him why I left… Perhaps it would make him forgive me… but I couldn't. Who knows what Ethan would do to my family, if I told them about his threats, or that he was the one who was responsible for the spell that was put on Nik a year ago, or that he hired the two guys who robbed me and tried to rape me a year ago… Although… until now Ethan did nothing to hurt anyone since I got back, perhaps he's gone? But I guess I shouldn't test my luck by telling my siblings everything… if Ethan was still in town, it would only provoke him…

I was interrupted in my brooding as the door to my bedroom suddenly opened without a knocking. Sitting up in my antique king size bed I saw Kol walking into my room, as if it was his, and letting himself fall onto my bed with his hands behind his head.

"What do you think you're doing?" I asked slightly annoyed as I looked down to my brother who was lying beside me.

"I'm bored." He replied as if it should have been obvious, turning his head to the side to look up at me.

"Not my problem. Get out!" I ordered him, annoyed by his audacity, as I pushed him off the bed. This was _my_ room! He couldn't just barge in and behave as if it was his.

"Ow!" he cried out as he pretended to be hurt. My brother was an original vampire, a fall from a barely one meter high bed wouldn't hurt him. "Is that a way to treat your recently revived, favourite brother?" Kol asked, pretending to be offended, as he got back to his feet.

Rolling my eyes at him I clarified, still slightly annoyed. "You're not my favourite brother."

"Well, who else could it be then? Nik disowned you and Elijah is boring. The only one who's left is me, your funny, most handsome, amazing, big brother Kol." He explained with a smug smile on his lips.

"Oh, get over yourself." I scoffed, before I clarified superciliously "I don't pick favourites." _That was a lie…_

Now it was his turn to roll his eyes at me. "Of course not. You never favoured Nik."

"Just get out, Kol." I sighed exhaustedly. I had no desire to continue this ridiculous discussion.

"But I'm bored." He said like a crotchety child.

"Then go bother Elijah." I suggested. All I wanted to do was lie back down and get at least one more hour of sleep.

"Like I told before, he is boring." Kol explained.

"Then bother Nik." I suggested.

"Nik is a moody arse. I can't put up with him without constantly wanting to punch him in the face." Kol explained with a hint of anger in his voice.

"He's grieving …" I tried to justify. The truth was, after Nik's outburst yesterday, I didn't want to be around him either… But not because he annoyed me _…I was scared of him…_

"Come on, Bex. Don't let me die of boredom in here." He pleaded with big, brown, puppy eyes.

"I don't feel well… I just want to go back to sleep, ok?" I said calmly, in an exhausted tone of voice as I looked up at where he was standing beside my bed.

"…Fine." Kol muttered disappointedly before he walked out of my room.

* * *

About an hour later, I got out of bed and made myself ready for the day. I went into the kitchen to make myself something for breakie as I saw Elijah standing at the kitchen counter making some tea. That was a good sign. It meant that Elijah lived here again and that meant that he and Nik weren't angry at one another anymore. When I left a year ago, they were constantly arguing and Elijah had moved out because of their argument.

"Good morning." I said with a slight smile, stopping in the doorway and leaning on the door frame.

"Good morning, sister. Would you like some tea?" He asked, polite as always, as he turned around to look at me.

"No, thanks." I replied as I quietly looked at him for a moment. It felt good to see my big brother again… He looked the same as the day I left, perfectly styled hair and a flawless suite. Although… there was something _different_ about him still. He looked… _older._ Of course we couldn't age, but he looked more tired somehow… I was certain that the loss of Hayley and the baby were the reason for it…

"Kol told me about what happened last night." Elijah said carefully, ending the moment of silence.

Of course he did. Kol was such a little tell-tale.

"Are you ok?" He asked from where he was standing with a hint of concern traceable in his voice.

"I'm fine." I simply answered. _That was another lie…_

"Shall I talk to Niklaus?" He then suggested carefully.

"Slagging me off?" I heard Nik's voice remarking cynically as he walked into the room, through the backdoor at the other end of the kitchen, letting it slam shut loudly behind him.

"Nik, I'm sorry for-" I started in a voice filled with regret as I stopped leaning against the doorframe and, once again, tried to apologise to him for leaving.

"Elijah, would you please tell _your_ sister to not address me or otherwise there will be consequences." Nik said on his way through the kitchen with a hint of anger traceable in his voice before he pushed past me, his shoulder bumping hard against mine.

My gaze dropped to the floor. '_Your_ sister'…that hurt…

"Niklaus." Elijah called after him in his stern big brother voice.

He was about to go after Nik, but I stopped him by explaining in a sad voice. "It's ok… He's mourning." Maybe it wasn't only about me leaving him, maybe Nik just needed an outlet for all of his anger about losing his daughter…

"We are all mourning. That doesn't give him the right to treat you like this." Elijah countered.

I silently looked at my brother for a moment. Nik wasn't the only one who has lost a loved one… "My deepest condolences… I know that you loved her with all your heart …I can't imagine how you must be feeling." I said as I pitied my poor brother. He found the love of his life and then she was ripped away from him…

He was silent, his gaze dropped to the floor, an indescribable expression of painful sadness on his face.

"If there is anything I can do to help you-" I started with genuine sympathy in my voice.

"There is." My brother cut me off in a voice thick with sadness as he looked up again and walked over to where I was standing in the doorway. "Promise me that you will not ever leave again." He demanded as he looked deep into my blue eyes with his own sad brown ones.

I speechlessly looked up at him for a moment. I knew that it must have hurt him when I left, but in that moment I was reminded of how much I must have hurt him.

"I promise." I promised honestly after a short moment of silence, before I hugged my sad, mourning brother.

He hugged me back tightly for a moment as he sought comfort in the embrace. Slowly breathing in the other's all too familiar scent of home, an aching feeling started to rise up in my chest. I've truly missed my elder brother… After a moment, he pulled back, stroked with one hand over my soft, long, golden hair and said with so many emotions visible in his eyes "Thank you." He then left the room.

_Poor Elijah… _

I silently remained in the kitchen for a moment when I heard my phone ringing. Looking down onto its display I saw that it was _Amy_.

I've been only gone for a day and I already missed her deeply. She was my only friend…

I took a deep breath before picking up.

"Hi Amy." I greeted her, trying my best to sound happy.

"Rebekah, where are you? Yesterday you disappeared between lectures and today you don't come at all. I've been looking everywhere for you." Amy said slightly annoyed, her Australian accent making me miss her even more. Judging by the noises in the background she was probably walking over the campus to our next lecture.

"…I'm in New Orleans." I replied reluctantly in a quiet voice.

"_What?_ What on earth are doing in New Orleans?" She asked slightly confused. I could practically see her expression before me. "Are you ok?" She suddenly asked worriedly before I had even a chance to answer her first question.

I didn't want to lie to her. _Not again._ But I couldn't tell her the truth about my messed up supernatural family drama either... "…I'm fine, don't worry. Something came up and I had to go home to my family." I explained, trying to not let my sadness go into my voice.

Amy always accepted me with all my flaws and liked me for who I was… _I missed her so much… _

"…Okay? And when will you be back?" She asked slightly confused.

_This was hard_… "…I'm not coming back." I confessed with teary eyes, not being able to hide the sadness in my voice any longer.

She was my best friend. _My best friend._

_"__At least I'm not behaving like an egoistic arse!" _I heard Kol's angry voice yelling from the lounge.

Oh no, please don't let him argue with Nik…

"Wait, _what?!_ What do you mean you're not coming back?! And what was that noise?" Amy asked in shock and a hint of concern traceably in her confused voice.

"I have to hang up. I'm sorry." I informed her quickly as I blinked my tears away.

"Rebe-" I heard her protesting before I hung up.

* * *

"What's going on?" I asked as I hurried into the lounge, where I found an angry looking Kol and, a few feet away, an angry looking Nik in the middle of the room.

Nik just gave me a silent, stubborn look, that told me that he still hated me.

"Nik is being an arse, again." Kol explained through gritted teeth before he tore Nik's sketchbook, which was lying on the antique coffee table behind him. When he turned back to Nik, he raised his eyebrows and gave him a challenging look.

The hybrid was about to lunge at Kol but I quickly blocked his way. "Nik, wait. Just calm down." I pleaded quickly, holding one hand in front of him in a gesture that asked him to stop.

He clenched his jaw as he threw a silent, lethal look at me for a second. The next thing I knew was that I hit the floor. Nik had backhanded me. Hard.

"Ow…" I gasped quietly as I carefully placed my hand on my cheek. It felt hot and it burned with pain and it caused tears to come to my eyes. As I brought my hand back down, I saw that there was a bit of blood on the side of it. My lip was probably busted.

"I warned you not to address me." I heard him saying in a dark voice.

"You're dead." Kol growled before he lunged at Nik in a flash.

As I got back on my feet I saw them rolling over the floor fighting to get the upper hand.

"Stop it, both of you!" I demanded in a loud tone of voice.

But they ignored me and just went on with punching each other, throwing each other into walls and ruining the furniture.

They were behaving like fools!

For a moment it looked like Kol had the upper hand but then the hybrid pinned him down in a flash and started to punch him in the face over and over again. His fist was already covered with Kol's blood when I hurried over to them and tried to pull Nik off him.

"Nik! Stop! Stop it! You're hurting him!" I half demanded half pleaded as I tried to pull the hybrid off our poor brother.

But the blond male just pushed me away roughly causing me to stumble backwards and fall to the floor.

Before I could get up and start another attempt to get him off Kol, Elijah appeared in the blink of an eye, probably drawn by the noise, and threw Nik against one of the walls.

"Enough of this foolishness." He ordered in a stern tone of voice.

As Nik tried to get up again, Elijah gave him a warning glare that told him to better stay where he was.

Our eldest brother then offered me his hand and pulled me back to my feet, before he turned to Nik and demanded to know what was going on.

Nik's response was silence and a stubborn look on his face as he got back up.

"Nik struck Bex." Kol said reproachfully with anger in his voice as he got back to his feet and wiped his blood off his injured jaw with the back of his hand. It seemed like his injuries were already starting to heal and he was throwing a lethal glare at Nik.

Nik wasn't looking any better either. His nose was bleeding and both of their clothes were torn and stained with the other ones and their own blood, their hair was a mess and there were wounds on their knuckles.

"I'm fine." I lied in an annoyed tone of voice, _annoyed by their immature behaviour._ Truth was, my cheek felt hot and hurt terribly as well as my lower lip. My cheek was probably glowing red and I knew that there was blood on my lower lip. _I could taste it._ I looked away so that Elijah wouldn't see the injured side of my face.

He then turned to me. He probably noticed what I was trying to do. Since we were children, Elijah somehow always knew when I was hiding something from him. My elder brother carefully placed his hand on my chin and gently forced me to look up at him. As he saw my cheek and my lower lip, the expression on his face hardened for a moment and he tightened his grip on my chin. But then he closed his eyes and took a deep calming breath before he let go of my delicate chin and started in a strict tone of voice. "Niklaus-"

"She deserved it." Nik interrupted to justify his action, although there was a tiny hint of remorse traceable...

I could see Elijah shutting his eyes and taking a deep calming breath again, before he turned around to where Nik was standing and demanded with hot anger traceable in his angst-inducing calm demeanour. "Let's have a word."

He then left the room and as Nik followed him out, Kol gave the hybrid one last self-satisfied, triumphant smile.

Although the two left the room, even I could hear them discussing.

_"__Niklaus, she is our little sister-" _I heard Elijah's voice saying sternly.

_"__No, she is my __**half**__-sister."_ Klaus objected sharply.

_half_…that hurt…

_"__You're a grown man. Do I really have to explain to you that it is wrong to hit-"_ I heard Elijah's voice scolding, before Kol interrupted the eavesdropping.

"Bex…" Kol whispered in a gentle tone of voice and walked over to where I was standing as he saw the sadness on my face when Nik used the word _'half'_.

"Oh, shut up Kol." I snapped at him in annoyance, before I left the room through the other door to find something to cool my cheek with.

* * *

An hour later, the redness on my cheek had faded and although it still hurt it wasn't swollen due to the ice gel pack I had pressed to it. However, my busted lip would probably need a bit longer to heal…

As I walked through the lounge I noticed Kol lounging on one end of the antique, leather couch. At first I thought he hadn't left the room but then I noticed that he wore clean clothes and that his hair was fine again. I also noticed that he had completely healed…

"What are you doing?" I asked, trying to be friendly, as I sat down on the spot beside him. Perhaps it was possible that it wasn't fair of me when I snapped at Kol earlier…

"I'm bored…" He wailed like a crotchety child.

_"__Again?"_ I asked slightly astonished. He and Nik just ruined half of the furniture in this room. The heavy wooden book shelves were damaged and splitters of wood were spread all over the floor together with broken glass from one of the expensive vases. It was a wonder that my favourite couch survived. _Wasn't that enough entertainment for him?_

He just smirked in response.

After a short moment of silence he asked teasingly with a smug smile on his lips. "Isn't there something you wanted to say to me?"

"What?" I asked slightly confused.

"Seriously?" He asked as the amused expression on his face faded.

"What do you want?" I then asked, with a furrow of my brow.

"I don't know. I was hoping to hear a 'thank you' or something alike." He explained in obvious sarcasm.

"A _thank you_? Are you delusional?" I asked mockingly. He didn't honestly expect me to thank him for attacking Nik, did he?

He just raised his brows inquiringly.

"Oh, come on, as if you did that for me." I scoffed.

A confused and shocked expression appeared on him as if he wanted to say 'What the bloody hell?! Of course I did that for you!'

"This morning you told me and I quote 'Nik is a moody arse. I can't put up with him without constantly wanting to punch him in the face.'" I explained, before I emphasised. "_You_ did that for _you_."

Kol just shook his head in disbelieve before he said trying to sound indifferent. "If you say so, sister."

There was oppressive silence for a long moment.

"Fine." I sighed eventually.

I then looked deep into my brother's chocolate brown eyes and said with honest gratitude. _"Thank you."_

He genuinely smiled at me in response before he ruined the moment by saying in a faked indifferent manner. "Whatever."

My jaw dropped in pure shock over his ego.

Then both of us started to chuckle.

"Your ego is unbelievable." I said with a smile on my lips as I playfully bumped his shoulder with my hand.

"_My_ ego?" he asked teasingly with a smile on his lips as he playfully bumped my shoulder with his hand.

But instead of lying and saying that my ego wasn't nearly as big as his, I silently leaned on his side and rested my head on his shoulder. He then gently leaned his head on mine as he carefully wrapped his arm around my slim waist and pulled me closer. My gaze dropped and fell on a leather bracelet around the wrist of his free arm before I started to abstractedly fumble with it.

We just stayed like that for a while, silently enjoying the closure and the warm, peaceful feeling of affection and safety the other provided.

* * *

"Come on, let's have some entertainment." Kol said after a while as he got up.

"And what do you have in mind?" I asked with a raised brow while I was still lounging on the couch.

"Do you really care? Anything is better than spending the evening at home with a moody Nik in the house." He replied, fully aware of the fact that Nik could hear him if he chose to. He then grabbed my forearm and pulled me off the couch.

"Fine." I sighed and rolled my eyes at him as he dragged me after him to the entrance. He probably wanted to go to a bar anyway and drowning my sorrows about Hayley, our dead niece, Amy, the whole Ethan situation and Nik seemed to be a good use of my time.

Just as Kol opened the front door, Nik appeared in the blink of an eye beside Kol and asked menacingly. "Where do you think you're going?"

"None of your business." Kol replied with a smug smile on his face.

Nik's menacing gaze then turned to me. _He was trying to intimidate me._

But I just grinned along with Kol and had a look in my eyes that said _'screw you'_.

"Come on, Bex." I heard Kol saying with a grin on his face as he glared at Nik, before he dragged me by the forearm after him through the dark courtyard.

"You do know that I can walk by myself, right?" I asked, not liking it to get dragged around all the time.

Although it was dark, I could see him rolling his eyes at me as he let go of my arm.

* * *

"Are you done?" I asked trying to sound bored and indifferent as I leaned against a wall of a building with my arms folded over my chest and waited for my brother to finish his snack. We were outside behind Rousseau's.

It was late evening and already dark. The chatter of drunken tourists accompanied by the jazz played by some buskers not far away could be heard in the humid night air of New Orleans.

The truth was I somehow had sympathy for the poor girl he was feeding on… When I was still a vampire I never cared about how my victims felt or about the pain their families would have to go through… _But now it was different._ After I got almost drained over a year ago myself I knew how she must be feeling… _The piercing pain… the angst… the desperation… the growing fatigue… the warm breath on your neck… the slurping sound right beneath your ear…_

Kol let go of the blonde he was draining as he let out satisfied breath and let her fall carelessly to the ground. He then wiped his blood smeared jaw clean with his arm, not caring about the blood stains it would leave on the sleeve of his jacket. "Almost." He said in a dark voice and with eyes as black as the night. Suddenly, in the blink of an eye, he stood before me. One hand pressed against the small of my back to lock me in place, the other was at the nape of my neck, pulling my head to the side to allow better access to the side of my neck as he let his fangs lightly scratch over the sensitive skin.

My heart was racing in my chest. "Bugger off you bloody sod!" I snapped at him as I pushed my brother away.

He chuckled as he stumbled a bit backwards. "Come on, Bex. I was just making fun."

"Not funny!" I snapped at him, annoyed by his immature behaviour.

"It's not my fault that my little sister obviously lost her sense of humour while I was dead." He countered with one of his bloody mischievous grins.

"Come, there's nothing better after a snack than a good scotch." He said as he took me by the forearm _again_ and pulled me in the direction of the back door of the bar.

"Stop dragging me around all the time! I'm not a bloody child!" I argued as I yanked my arm away.

Kol just rolled his eyes at me in response and climbed up the small stairs, which led to the back door.

"Aren't you going to dispose of the corpse?" I asked from where I was standing at the bottom of the dirty stairs in the dark alley.

"You sound like Elijah." Kol called over his shoulder before he disappeared into the building.

_Sure, Kol makes the mess and I have to clean it up for him. _

I sighed in annoyance, before I walked over to the poor dead girl. Her golden hair as well as her neck were stained with blood. Her empty, blue eyes were still open. She was wearing a cute blouse with little flowers printed on it and a black jacket combined with a pair of skinny jeans. She was pale. Much paler than before Kol had dug his fangs into her neck. Did she had friends? A family? Would they miss her? Would they mourn her?

I was pulled out of my thoughts by the sound of something metallic falling to the ground. Dismissing it as a drunken tourist, I grabbed one of her legs and pulled her behind a dumpster. She was heavier than she looked like.

As I was about to walk up the stairs to the back entrance, I suddenly felt a light breeze and found Ethan blocking my way.

"Hello there." He said with one of his devil smirks on his lips.

"Get out of my way." I ordered in a firm tone of voice and algid expressions on my face as I tried my best to not let my contempt for him get into it.

As he didn't move an inch, I attempted to walk past him but he grabbed me by the upper arm to stop me. "I'm here as a friend." The brunette monster said lowly from where he was standing beside me.

I turned my head to the side to look up at him as I repeated with venom in my voice "_Friend?_" Yanking my arm away and turning to him, I clarified with deep hatred in my blue eyes. _"We are no friends."_

"You tormented me for months, you hired men to take the _only thing_ I had left of Jason from me and to _rape me_, you caused my brother to _suffer terribly_ and _forced me_ to leave my _home_… to leave my _family_." I countered in a trembling voice filled with hatred and pain as my blue eyes turned watery.

Shaking my head and taking one step backwards but still not breaking eye contact with the brown eyes of my enemy, I stated bitterly. "We. Are. No. _Friends_."

For a moment he just blankly stared at me.

"I brought a peace offering." He said calmly before he reached into one of his pockets and offered me the necklace Jason gave to me.

I didn't take it. I just looked down at the glistening piece of silver in the dark he held between his fingers. I suddenly started to terribly miss him again. _Jason_. It was not like I didn't miss him before… but when I was gone I had distractions like my studies… I rarely thought of him… _But now I felt guilty for it._

"It belonged to our mother. It is a family heirloom. She gave it to him before she died… She wanted him to give it to his soul mate, once he's found her. …Jason was always the better one… I should be dead instead of him." Ethan said quietly more to himself than to me.

After he has pulled himself out of his thoughts he explained. "Look, I don't expect you to forgive me. But if Jason wanted you to have it… you should take it."

For a moment I silently looked into his eyes_, the same eyes Jason had,_ as I tried my best to not feel sympathy for him. Then I slowly took the necklace without saying a word.

"The reason why I came to New Orleans was because I got a call from some guy. He told me that my brother died and that he would bring him back to life, if I'll help him... Once I came here and was convinced that Jason is dead, I didn't believe that that stranger had enough power to bring him back. But he is a powerful warlock Viktor and he was able to let me talk to Jason from the other side…" Ethan paused for a moment before he showed me the tattoo on his wrist and went on. "He gave me this tattoo, the same one he has. He didn't tell me why. He never told me why he was doing certain things or what his deal with you was. He said that if I do what he wants and make your life miserable, as a reward, he would bring Jason back… The reason why I needed the necklace was because he said that he needed something that belonged to Jason to prepare the spell that would bring him back. But after I gave him the necklace he told me that he would need something else that belonged to him, so, eventually, I found something personal that belonged to my brother and brought it to him."

"Why are you telling me this?" I asked sceptically as I still tried to process all the information he was giving me.

"Because, with time I grew more and more impatient… Once I had achieved to get you out of town for him, I couldn't wait any more and wanted my brother back. …But instead of bringing my brother back as promised, he brought someone else back. …He's been lying to me the whole time." Jason explained, a mixture of regret and anger clearly visible in his eyes. "He's also the one who killed that pregnant wolf." He added.

I couldn't believe it. That warlock killed Hayley and my niece… He killed Elijah's one true love… He killed Nik's daughter… my little niece… He killed the woman who was like the sister I've always wanted but never had… Because of him my family is stuck in sorrow.

Ethan closed the distance between us, causing me to try my best to fight the impulse that wanted me to take another step backwards and gain some space between. He then explained in a serious tone of voice. "I am here to warn you. I may not be powerful enough to make him pay for not bringing my brother back as promised, but I sure as hell won't help that son of a bitch anymore." He paused for a short moment, the hot rage over the betrayal clearly visible in his brown eyes. "Your return angered him. He's planning something… I just don't know what."

"And how do I know that you're telling the truth? Maybe this is another one of your attempts to manipulate me." I said sceptically as I looked him in the eye to see if he was lying.

I wasn't sure if I could really trust what he was saying after everything he has done to my family and me. _Although… what he was saying made sense. _I've always wondered why Ethan tormented me and there I have my reason: _To bring his dead brother back._ But wasn't this all a bit too easy? In his version he made himself out to be the _poor victim_.

"Because you're smart, you know that I never cared about what you think of me. So why bother with making up this story?" Ethan replied as he didn't break the eye contact to emphasise that he wasn't lying.

I was silent for a moment as I still contemplated whether to believe what he was saying or not… I came to the conclusion that he might be telling partly the truth.

"I'm leaving town. This godforsaken city has brought me nothing but trouble." He announced.

I looked to the ground for a second as a small smile appeared on my lips. _Ethan gone meant one less thing I had to worry about._ "I hope you don't expect to hear a 'I'll miss you_'_ or some-" I said boldly, but as I looked up he was already gone. "…thing alike." I said quietly to myself as I finished my sentence.

For a moment, I silently stayed in the dark alley as I once again thought about all the information Ethan just gave to me. When I lived in Brisbane the world wasn't perfect, but I felt save and I had a really good friend. But now… I felt like that nightmare, that constant threat of enemies I didn't even know would never end…

I walked up the stairs and entered the bar through the back door.

* * *

Rousseau's was not as empty as I expected it to be. The bar was rather full. There were groups of people gathered around their tables, drinking, chattering and laughing. Others were playing darts, although their alcohol level probably didn't improve their skills.

I was just in time to witness how Kol got a drink thrown in his face by a redheaded woman at one of the tables.

Despite my depressive mood, I couldn't help but smirk in gloating as I folded my arms over my chest.

As Kol turned around and noticed me, tequila on his shirt and dripping down his face, he walked over to where I was standing. He gave me an annoyed look and chuntered. "Don't start." Then he walked over to where he's been sitting at the counter before his pathetic attempt at flirtation.

I followed him and took the bar stool beside him as I grabbed one of the empty glasses together with the half empty bottle of scotch, that were lying before him on the counter, and poured myself a drink.

"What took you so long?" Kol asked as he took the bottled and refilled one of his glasses.

Holding the glass to my lip I mumbled "Someone had to clean up your mess." I then downed the amber liquid ignoring the pain I felt in my busted lip when the liquid made contact with the small wound. "I hid the corpse behind a dumpster. It won't be found until at least morning." I mumbled as I poured me another one, which I also downed at once. _I didn't lie. I just didn't tell him the whole truth._

"Whoa… Bex, is everything ok?" He asked, astounded at that I downed one glass after another as if it was water.

I just ignored his question and downed a few more as I began to feel light headed. Answering him would mean lying.

"…Ok? I actually took you with me because I thought you would be better company than Elijah, but I guess I was mistaken." Kol complained.

I just glared at him in response.

"I'm going to the rest room. I hate the smell of sticky tequila." he said as he tugged at his tequila-stained shirt and headed to the rest rooms.

I smiled in gloating as I watched him leaving. The thought of my brother taking a hint still amused me.

Sitting up a bit and cheekily reaching over the counter to sneak another bottle of scotch I heard a man's voice saying. "Looks like someone's quiet thirsty."

"What do you care?" I asked as I poured me another one, without looking at the man who took the seat beside me. The circumstance that I had difficulties pouring the liquid into the glass without spilling it onto the counter should have told me that I had drunken enough… _but I didn't care._ It helped me to distract myself from the unknown threat called Viktor that was to come.

"Oh, I didn't mean to criticize. I like girls who honour a good scotch." He explained and as I turned to look at him he was smiling at me, a warm smile. "I'm Mike." he said as he offered me handshake.

Perhaps it was the alcohol, but the stranger looked quiet handsome, his shiny green eyes contrasting with his pale skin and raven hair. I couldn't help but smile back at him.

But before I could take his hand and tell him my name, Kol reappeared and pushed the other male of the bar stool, causing him to fall to the floor. "You're in my seat, mate." My brother said matter-of-factly as he took the, now free, seat.

Normally I would have been mad at Kol for his overprotective behaviour, but it somehow looked funny how Mike fell to the floor. He got up again and shot my brother an angry glare before he hurried back to his table. I couldn't help but giggle drunkenly.

"You're drunk." Kol stated the obvious.

"No, you're jus'nt drunk'nough." I objected with one of his mischievous grins. I then noticed that I had difficulties with pronouncing the words properly.

An evil smile appeared on my brother's lips.

I reached for the bottle and attempted to pour him another drink, but had difficulties with pointing at the glass.

As I poured the drink Kol quickly moved the glass so that I wouldn't spill everything onto the counter before he took the bottle from me and placed it on his side of the counter so that I couldn't reach it. He then silently looked at me with a worried look in his eyes before he decided. "I should bring you home."

"Or… y'drink wit'me." I suggested drunkenly with a grin on my face.

Kol's expression remained uncertain.

I then lightly tugged at his shoulder and added. "Come'n, _come'n._ Y'wanted t'be m'favourite brother than be m'favourite."

"Fine." He sighed in defeat after a moment. "But that's your last one. Then we're going home." He added.

* * *

_4 hours later…_

It was in the early morning hours when we came back home. I was leaning dizzily against the façade of our mansion for support and giggled as Kol fumbled with the key to the front door. He was having difficulties with getting it into the door lock.

_"__Psst! __We don'want to wake th'others."_ Kol whispered drunkenly with a smile on his lips as he turned to me with one finger pressed to his mouth.

When he finally managed open the door, he was the first one to stumble into the entrance and over the antique Turkish carpet before he fell onto it. Still lying on the floor, he rolled onto his back and started to burst out laughting.

I couldn't help but laugh at him as I was the next one to stumble inside. I fell over his feet and landed on him. We went quiet for a moment, and then started to burst out in drunken laughter.

"What on earth are you two doing?" We heard a very familiar voice asking in a mixture of shock and disgust.

"'lijah!" I cheered as I raised my head from where I've been burying my face against Kol's chest to muffle my giggles.

"Heyyy!" Kol cheered from where he was lying beneath me as he bent his neck backwards to see a still perfectly styled Elijah standing a few feet away with a stern look on his face. _He's probably been waiting for us._ With the difference that from that angle everything looked upside down for Kol. "Wh'are you 'pside down?" He asked confusedly.

"Are you drunk?" Elijah asked with a hint of anger traceable in his calm voice as he took one step towards us.

"A littl'." I answered for us with a childish grin, holding up my perfectly manicured hand with a tiny gap between my thumb and index finger to emphasise what I said.

"What's all this noise?" I heard an annoyed Nik asking as he descended the stairs. He immediately stopped in his tracks as he saw Kol and me lying on the floor. "What are you doing?" He asked with a furrowed brow in a mixture of suspicion and confusion.

We burst out in drunken giggles, again, while I, once again, pressed my face against his chest to muffle the noises.

"Did you give her alcohol?" Nik asked Kol, a hint of accusation and anger traceable in his voice.

"A littl'." My youngest older brother answered with a childish grin, just like I did before, holding up his hand with a tiny gap between his thump and his index finger.

"Get into your beds." Elijah ordered exhaustedly, the anger about our irresponsible behaviour still traceable in his calm voice.

"You're not the boss of me!" Kol objected drunkenly as he rolled me off him and started a pathetic attempt at getting back to his feet, before stumbling towards Elijah.

Elijah just calmly looked at Kol for a moment, not letting himself get enraged by his ridiculously drunken little brother. He then slowly rested his hand on Kol's shoulder and said in a calm tone of voice. "You must be tired, brother. Why don't you go upstairs and rest a bit?"

"You'r'ight… 'm tired." Kol yawned before he stumbled upstairs past Nik, who didn't even thought of helping his little brother.

Nik glared one last time in my direction before he went back upstairs.

"You too, sister." I heard Elijah saying.

"I don'want to!" I objected like a crotchety child from where I was lying on the floor.

"Come on." Elijah said as he already started to forget his anger about our irresponsible behaviour and carefully helped me back to my feet and to the stairs. He then scooped me up in his arms and carried me upstairs to my room.

Leaning my head on his shoulder and staring up at him as he carried me into my room I suddenly said drunkenly. "You'r'a good brother."

"Thank you." He said uncomfortably without looking down at me.

"I mean 't. You'r'always there fo'me... _always… aaalways… alwayyys_." I mumbled slowly as he lowered me down onto my antique king size bed and pulled off my black, heeled biker boots and my leather jacket.

He then tugged me in.

"Of course." He simply agreed before he placed a soft kiss on my forehead and gently stroked over my long, loosely curled, blonde hair. He looked into my blue eyes with his own brown ones and whispered softly. "Sleep now, my sweet little baby sister."

Then I drifted off into a deep, peaceful, drunken sleep.

* * *

**Author's Note****:**

**Hey everyone, :)**

**I am so sorry! So, so sorry for not updating for so long! I know that it probably upset a lot of you… and I want you to know that I am genuinely sorry for it! Honestly, I feel so bad for it… Please forgive me! **

**I have some technical difficulties, which is why I have to write the chapters on my phone... and I just hate writing long texts on my phone… :/**

**But rest assured I've missed writing this story and reading your reviews just as much as you've missed reading it! :)**

**As always, thank you for spending your precious time on reading this chapter. I hope you liked it, if so, please leave a review! :D**

**A BIG THANK YOU goes out to the lovely reviewers "ilovemustard" and "xxdonedirtcheapxx" as well as the lovely mystery reviewers "KlebekahLove", "HermioneMalfoy", "Yasmindb" and "Guest"! Your reviews mean so much to me and I'm grateful that some people still take the time to write them. :)**

**I also have request of you. So… English isn't my first language… it takes me a lot of time to correct a chapter. Sometimes up to 10 hours… and then there are still grammar and spelling mistakes in it. So I wanted to ask if maybe one of you (preferably a British English speaker) would be so kind as to be my beta reader for this story? If one of you would be so kind as to be my beta reader, please PM me. :D**

**As always: ****_PLEASE REVIEW!_**


	27. Chapter 27

**Disclaimer****:**

**The title of the story is taken from the song "Who you are" by "Jessie J".  
****I do not own the mentioned song all rights belong to their rightful owners.  
****Unfortunately, I do not own any of the characters nor do I own "the Originals" or "the Vampire Diaries" all rights belong to their rightful owners.**

* * *

**Chapter 27**

The bright, orange sun rose over the roofs, dipping the clouds in colours of pink and purple, as I awoke in the early morning. I opened my eyes and groaned. I had an enormous headache; it felt as if there was a little person in my head, pounding with a hammer against the inside of my skull. I felt sick and dizzy... I had the worst hangover of my entire life and it was also my first one. Not really surprising considering that I couldn't get hangovers when I was still an original vampire.

I walked over to my make-up table and took a look in the mirror as I sat down. I looked exactly the way I felt. _Awful._ There were dark circles beneath my red eyes, contrasting with my skin that was even paler than usual.

"I'll never drink again..." I muttered to myself in a croaky voice, before I washed my face and started to put on my best make-up, to cover the visible signs of my hangover.

It was still early once I had finished, too early to think of brekky. So I made myself comfortable in bed and read a book. But no matter how hard I tried to concentrate on the words, I couldn't stop thinking about yesterday. I had almost no memory of what happened after my conversation with Ethan or how I got home, but I remembered every single detail of what Ethan told me. _It worried me…_

Who was _Viktor?_ And what did he want from me? Ethan told me that my return angered him and that he was planning something against me… _But what?_ And why did he care if I was in New Orleans or not? Another thing Ethan had told me was that Viktor didn't keep his promise to bring Jason back… But I knew that Jason had the same tattoo Ethan had. Wouldn't that mean that he worked for Viktor too? I also remembered that when Nik killed Jason, Jason was hexed, which was shortly after he refused to work for the person who'd spied on my family. So if this person Jason worked for really was Viktor, wouldn't that mean that he could have hexed Jason as a kind of punishment for refusing to follow his orders?

All of this brooding didn't help my headache and I couldn't concentrate on reading anyway. Walking over to the other end of my bed-chamber and opening the French double doors, which led to my luxurious, antique bathroom, I switched on the lights and ran myself a bath. Sitting on the edge of my large, cream-coloured bathtub and watching as the steaming water filled the tub, mixing with the vanilla-scented bubble bath, I started to tie my long blonde hair up into a loose bun to prevent it from getting wet.

Once the tub was filled, I turned the water off and undressed myself, climbing into the tub adorned with gold, being careful not to make the recently cleaned, marble floor wet. The water was a bit too hot and my pale, porcelain skin flushed once I was fully hidden under the white bubbles, letting only my shoulders protrude from the cloud cover. Closing my blue eyes I slowly leaned back, as I breathed in the sweet scent of vanilla and started to relax.

"Morning, Bex. Yum… vanilla," Kol said, with his typical smile on his face, barging into my bathroom without bothering to knock.

"Kol! Get out!" I snapped at him, grimacing and holding one hand to my head, as my loud voice only worsened my hangover. Although he couldn't see anything anyway due to all the bubbles, I didn't want him in my bathroom. Was one moment of peace really too much to ask for in this house? Or at least some privacy?

"Did someone have a bit too much to drink last night?" He asked with a gloating grin. "Seems like your body doesn't respond as well to alcohol anymore."

"Shut up," I hissed as I narrowed my eyes at him. I only earned a chuckle in response.

"Your bathroom is larger than mine," Kol commented, taking a look around and prying in my bathroom cabinet. "But I suppose being Nik's favourite is bound to earn you some benefits." He added, as he found one of my expensive perfumes and sprayed it around like a noisy child.

"I'm not his favourite… Not anymore…" I whispered sadly, more to myself than to him.

Hearing that, Kol put the perfume back down and walked over to me. "You know our brother; he's got quite a temper. He just needs some time to calm down," Kol explained in a gentle tone of voice, as he sat down on the marble floor before the tub, leaning his back on it.

At first I wanted to object and tell him that it was different this time, but I decided that it would be better to say nothing. I didn't want to talk about Nik anyway…

"Why are you already awake?" I asked after a moment. It was unusual for my brother to get up at this early hour.

For a moment, he silently looked at me with his chocolate-brown eyes, before he confessed. "To check on you."

I furrowed my brow in confusion. _Check on me? Why?_

"…We drunk way too much last night and I just wanted to see if you're ok," he admitted, concern traceable in his voice.

I couldn't help but smile warmly at what he said. Kol might be an annoying idiot most of the time, but he cared deeply for me… And if I was honest, I cared just as much for him... He was my brother after all.

"Speaking of, I brought you something," he said, reaching into his pocket and handing me a pack of aspirin.

Once again, I couldn't help but smile warmly at him as I took the aspirin and placed it down onto the floor beside the tub, to prevent it from getting wet.

He could be really sweet and thoughtful from time to time…

"Now get ready, I don't want to miss brekky," he urged after a moment of silence.

"…I usually don't eat with the others. I prefer to eat alone," I said reluctantly.

"Well, today you have to; because there is no way I'm going to be the person at the table that Nik hates the most. Besides, Elijah surely plans on giving us one of his lectures about responsibility," Kol explained with one of his typical smiles, before he rose and walked out of the room. Before closing the double doors to my bathroom he added, "Now get ready."

I rolled my eyes at him as he closed the doors. After shutting my eyes and taking one last calming, deep breath of vanilla, I climbed out of the tub and towelled myself off. I wrapped the cream-coloured towel around my slim figure, then untied my hair bun. Reaching down to the aspirin beside the tub, I put one of the pills in my mouth before I walked over to the double doors to my bathroom and opened them to find Kol lying on my bed, his hands behind his head.

I silently walked over to my bedside cabinet and took a sip from the glass of water — which always stood there in case I got thirsty at night — to swallow the aspirin.

"You do know that I won't go faster just because you're hustling me, right?" I asked as I turned to him.

"Just get dressed." He sighed as he got up and pushed me over into my walk-in cupboard, closing the doors behind me.

* * *

A few minutes later we walked into our dining room. The long dining table was covered with all kinds of fruits, jams, bagels and other pastries. Nik and Elijah had already started eating and, although I usually didn't participate in my family's meals, the table was still set for four. Nik sat at the head of the table as always with Elijah beside him, while the two seats on the other side of the table remained empty. Kol, the little traitor, quickly took the one that was further away from Nik, while I had to take the one next to him and opposite Elijah.

"Morning," Kol said with one of his trademark smiles, before he took a bagel and began to cut it.

"Good Morning," I said almost simultaneously, as I sat down.

"Good morning," Elijah said with a smile on his face, happy to see all of us together at one table.

"Good morning_, Kol,_" Nik greeted in a grim voice, deliberately choosing to ignore me.

My gaze dropped down to my plate for a moment, as I tried to not let the others see my sadness.

He was still angry at me for leaving him for a whole year… I could see it in his eyes. I didn't know why, but the fact that my brother hated me hurt deeply. How was it possible that he could get under my skin so easily by doing nothing?

There was awkward silence for a while. No one knew what to say or how to behave without aggravating Nik.

"Rebekah, would you like some tea?" Elijah asked as he was refilling his cup.

"Yes, please," I replied as I handed my cup over to him. Once he filled it for me, I placed it back on its porcelain saucer and thanked him.

There was nothing but awkward silence as everyone quietly ate. Everyone except me. I silently sipped at my tea. The fact that Nik still hated me and disowned me made me lose my appetite… My lightly busted lip hurt every time I drank.

"Elijah, would you please give me the butter?" Nik asked in a polite tone of voice. Elijah seemed to be the only one Nik still liked. This was probably because he didn't leave him a year ago and break contact, like I did, or use every opportunity to fight with him, like Kol does.

The butter was much closer to me than it was to Elijah, but I knew why Nik didn't ask me to give it to him. For him, I simply didn't exist… and that hurt… _terribly._ I reached over and wordlessly offered him the butter none the less. _Wordlessly_ because the last time I directly spoke to my brother, he hit me and I was still a little afraid of him to be honest… Maybe he would forgive me sooner if I was nice to him?

"Thank you, _Elijah,_" Nik said to our elder brother, as he took the butter from me.

I still didn't know why it hurt so terribly to see my brother ignoring me… Every time he emphasised that I didn't exist it felt like a dagger to my heart.

Elijah gave him a disapproving look but didn't say anything.

_Again nothing but silence…_

Just as brekky almost finished and I could finally get more distance between Nik and me, he seemed to notice something, before he said, more to himself than to any of us, least of all me. "Someone is here." He stood up and walked out of the room.

Elijah, who seemed to pick up the sound Nik had heard, followed him out and a short moment later, Kol did the same.

I was a bit confused… Who was here? And where? And why so early in the morning? Deciding that I had nothing better to do anyway, I followed Kol out to see what was going on.

There was a stranger standing in the gate to our courtyard. He appeared to be in his mid-twenties. The man had auburn hair and blue eyes. He wore a long black trench coat combined with a pair of dark jeans and expensive Italian shoes. He somehow reminded me of someone… I just couldn't put my finger on it.

"Hello, can I help you?" Nik asked, his voice filled with fake politeness and a fake smile, as he stepped a bit forward.

"Klaus Mikaelson," The stranger said, a hidden anger and some kind of other emotion traceable in his calm voice. His expression was algid.

"I don't think that I know you, mate. But my reputation seems to precede me," Nik said with a fake, polite smile as he complimented himself.

"And there we've got _Rebekah._" The stranger went on as he said my name through gritted teeth, with venom in his voice. He pointed with his nose towards me, which caused Kol to move slightly and protectively in front of me. "Which would make you Kol and you Elijah," the stranger continued pointing towards Kol and then Elijah.

_The man reminded me of someone…_

"And who are you, Sir?" Elijah asked as he stepped forward to stand next to Nik.

"I'm sorry, where are my manners? We haven't officially met yet. My name is Viktor," the stranger said, without moving an inch to shake Elijah's hand.

Oh my god… That was the guy of whom Ethan had warned me about… The one who wanted Ethan to make my life miserable. The one who wanted me to be raped. The one who caused Nik to suffer terribly and wanted me to leave town...

"Due to a traitorous little lackey, one of you should have at least heard of me," he said as he looked directly at me, a mixture of anger and something else traceable in his calm voice.

I swallowed hard and felt my siblings' eyes on me.

"But three of you knew my mother," the stranger said with a false smile. Suddenly his jaw tightened. "The two of you killed her," he added in a dark voice, a mixture of pain and anger glistening in his blue eyes, as he looked at Nik and me in turn.

"Well mate, we've killed countless people in the course of our long lives. I'm afraid you have to be a bit more specific," Nik explained, sharp sarcasm traceable in his voice as he still surrounded himself with a thick layer of faked politeness.

The stranger scoffed in response, before he went on and said in a dark voice, "you destroyed my family, I destroy yours. Let's see how long your 'Always and Forever' lasts once your bloodlust takes over."

My hybrid brother narrowed his eyes at the man, before he tried attacking him but was stopped by an invisible wall in the gate to our courtyard.

"Save your powers, you'll need them. You're trapped in there. There is no way out," the man said coldly, as Nik hammered with his fists against the invisible wall that separated us from the outside world.

That would explain why Viktor didn't come in or why he didn't shake Elijah's hand… He wanted to reveal his barrier in the right moment.

As the warlock turned around and walked away, Nik called after him in a calm, challenging voice vibrating with hidden frustration and anger. "You don't honestly believe that this is going to hold me in here for long, do you? I will get out of here. And once I do, I will kill you and everyone you have ever met."

* * *

It was already midday and we were still in front of the large, open gate to our courtyard. We were still locked inside our mansion due to an invisible, magical wall.

I sat on the ground in one of the corners of the gate right next to the stone walls, which surrounded the courtyard and formed an arch above the large gate. Leaning my back against the invisible wall, I watched Nik, who stood a few feet away aggressively pounding against the centre of the invisible wall, as he lost his temper. He'd been doing it for hours. It was _boring_ and _useless._

I remained silent. I knew better than to directly speak to him… My lightly busted lip still hurt when I drank or ate… But there were at least two good things in this whole situation: the aspirin had started to work and my headache was gone. Also giving me and Kol one of his lectures about responsibility was certainly not one of Elijah's priorities.

Elijah and Kol stood a few meters behind Nik and observed him, until Elijah stepped forward and said in a calm but strict tone of voice, "Niklaus, you've been trying to get through this barrier for hours. It's useless. We need a witch."

My hybrid brother growled in frustration as he pounded one last time against the wall. He t took a few calming breaths, before he turned towards Elijah and decided. "I'll call Marcel, perhaps he can get Davina or some other witch to lift this spell." He walked off, past our brothers and back into the house.

I saw Elijah mutter something to Kol, before they turned and walked back inside too.

Using the opportunity, I stood up from where I was sat on the ground and punched hard with my fist against the wall. Unfortunately, it didn't work and my hand hurt after it made contact with the invisible but hard surface… _But it was still worth a try._

* * *

"Our blood bags are gone," Kol muttered as he shut the door of the refrigerator. "I'm gonna kill that bloody warlock once I get out of here."

I silently watched my brother from where I stood in the doorway of the kitchen. It was already evening. His hunger for blood was probably growing stronger considering that the last time he fed was when he drained that young blonde last night… _Was this really Viktor's plan?_ Lock us in here and wait until my sibling's hunger for blood grows too strong and they start turning against each other? _Well, I wouldn't let that happen._ Walking over to Kol I wordlessly offered him my wrist. If he drank now his hunger wouldn't get too strong and we would break the spell before my family would start literally going at each other's throats, like a bunch of savages. Besides, I knew that he would only take a bit and not everything. My brother would never drain me.

For a moment, my brother silently looked down at my wrist, as he unconsciously wet his lips, the hunger clearly visible in his brown eyes. But then he shut his eyes tightly and shook his head. "No, I don't want to hurt you."

"It's just a little bite in the wrist." I tried to reason, slightly confused as to why he was making such a big deal out of it.

"No," he said, shaking his head. "What I meant was… I'm not sure if I'll be able to stop…" he confessed reluctantly, his fear of hurting me visible in his brown eyes.

"Ok…" I whispered as I tried to hide my shock over what he'd said. I was concerned, but less for me than for my poor brother…

* * *

As Kol and I walked into the sitting room a moment later, we saw Elijah sat on one of the antique, leather armchairs in the room. He, too, looked as if his hunger for blood was troubling him… Nik stood by one of the large French windows in the corner of the room as he talked to Marcel on the phone, trying to find out if his protégée had already found a witch to lift the barrier.

They were all looking as if their bloodlust was growing stronger and stronger… And all because of _Viktor._ I decided that if they were all locked up in here because of _him,_ they at least deserved to know what I knew about _him._

_No more secrets._

Taking a deep, calming breath, I gained my siblings attention by declaring, "I think there are some things you all deserve to know…"

I told them _everything._ Everything I knew about Viktor. I told them about my theory that Viktor was the one who hexed Jason as a punishment for refusing to obey him any longer. About Ethan and that everything he'd done, he'd done for Viktor in the hopes of getting his brother back. About how Ethan told me that Viktor betrayed him and brought someone else instead of Jason back. About how everything bad that happened to us, happened because of Viktor. About how everyone who seemed to be working for Viktor wore the same strange tattoo. About how Viktor was the one who casted the spell on Nik that made him suffer so terribly a year ago and about how Viktor then made Ethan black mail me into leaving town if I wanted Nik to ever recover.

Everyone was silent and listened as I told them.

As soon as I finished, Nik was the first one to speak.

"You should have told me! I would have helped you!" He yelled angrily as he jumped up from where he was sitting.

"I couldn't… I was afraid that he would hurt you if I said anything," I explained carefully, still afraid of addressing him.

"No, you could have at least stayed in contact," he growled reproachfully in a voice thick with hot anger.

My gaze dropped to the floor as I felt guilt filling my stomach… I would have contacted him, but I was afraid that _he_ would find out and hurt my family as punishment…

As I stayed silent, Nick moved closer to me. Only inches were separating us, our noses almost touched and he was visibly fighting his bloodlust as he growled bitterly. "You mean _nothing_ to me."

I fought against the tears that threatened to fall as I saw him turn and storm angrily out of the room. I felt like my heart had shattered into a thousand pieces.

I looked at Kol who was still sitting on one of the leather couches. I don't know why or what I wanted from him, it was just an instinct. Maybe I wanted him to comfort me? I wasn't sure…

But instead of walking over to me and wrapping his arms around me while whispering soothing words to me, he looked at me with an expression in his face I didn't understand, before he, too, left the room.

Did he hate me now too, because I didn't tell them earlier about what I knew? The thought of Kol hating me was too much and I immediately ran after Kol. _I couldn't lose him too._

"Wait!" I called in a shaky voice, somehow managing to follow him into one of the large rooms in our mansion. It became harder and harder for me to hold back the tears that so desperately wanted to fall.

Kol stopped with his back facing me. He stood a few feet away and made no move to turn around and look at me. It seemed like he was breathing heavily.

"Kol… please don't be angry with me… I'm sorry, I didn't tell you earlier about what I knew," I pleaded through teary eyes.

He still didn't turn around and I grew worried.

"…Kol?" I whispered carefully, as I walked over to him and gently touched his shoulder in an attempt to make him look at me.

As he turned around, I gasped in shock. His eyes were as black as night and there were dark veins under them. He looked as if he was about to sink his long, white fangs into my neck and I took a step back.

"Kol…no," I said slowly as I carefully took a few steps back.

He was visibly fighting the urge to drain me, as he couldn't help but take a step towards me every time I tried to gain some distance.

"Please… you don't want to do this…" I pleaded with teary eyes and a shaky voice.

"I'm sorry…" My brother whispered ruefully, before he lunged at me.

I winced and shut my eyes tightly. However, before Kol could even touch me, I heard the sound of a neck being snapped. As I opened my eyes again, I saw Kol's body lying unconsciously on the ground and Nik storming out of the room.

"Nik, wait!" I called out, hurrying after him and blocking his way before he could leave the room.

He glared down at me, a storm of emotions visible in his iron blue eyes.

"You said that you hate me, but you still saved me," I said as I panted from all the adrenaline in my veins, the fear of him lashing out at me like he did yesterday more present than ever. _This time, there was no Kol to protect me._

He breathed heavily too, but not because of the same reason I did. He fought his blood thirst with all the strength he had. A shimmer of wolfish yellow was recognisable in his eyes, as he intensely stared down at me. His hybrid fangs fought to be released, to sink deep into my neck and drain me of the precious, red liquid that ran in them.

Looking up into his eyes, I took all my courage and dared him in between heavy breaths. "I can see how you're fighting the urge to drain me… If I really mean nothing to you, then _do it._"

He didn't react. Either because he didn't want to kill me or because all he could hear was my heart pumping the desired blood through my veins, which seemed to be more likely.

"Drain me!" I ordered him in frustration.

_Nothing._ He still didn't react.

**"DO IT!"** I yelled at him, my voice filled with anger.

His eyes started to glow a wolfish yellow and dark veins appeared beneath his eyes, while his hybrid fangs fully extracted as he gave in to his bloodlust. In the blink of an eye, he had me pinned against a wall. Pulling my head to the side so he had better access to my delicate neck, he pressed his fangs against the sensitive skin. But before he could sink them in, he hesitated. I felt his hot, unsteady breath against my neck as it seemed like he was, once again, trying to fight the urge.

My heart raced in my chest and I breathed unsteadily. The fear of being drained had never been as intense as in that very moment.

Still pressing me against the wall, Nik pulled back. The demons face slowly changed back into his original one as he stared down at me.

"See … you do care about me," I said, breathing heavily as my heartbeat started to slowly calm.

Letting go of me, but still not taking a step back to gain some distance between us, he snapped at me. "Of course I care about you, you idiot!"

His breathing, as well as mine, had already calmed a bit as he went on with so many emotions in his blue eyes. "You are my little sister… You are the purest and most perfect creature in this world… You are the only woman I have ever truly cared about…"

Tears came to my eyes as I heard his words.

"You always came to me for help. No matter if it was a skinned knee or a serious threat... But now with this whole Ethan and Viktor situation, you didn't come to me. You've been threatened for _months_ and you didn't think it necessary to come to _me_… to ask _me_ for help," he said in a voice vibrating with countless emotions, as his eyes turned slightly watery. _Love. Pain. Disappointment. Fear of abandonment._

"Instead you _abandoned_ me when I needed you the most… And although I know now that you did it to save me _…it still hurts,_" he went on as he fought against his tears, being too proud to let them fall.

I fought against my tears too as I looked up at my big brother. I felt so guilty for what I'd done… "I'm so sorry, Nik," I whispered in a shaky voice.

"…And when I finally found you and brought you back home, Kol stole you from me," he told me as he gently brought his hand to the side of my face, a hint of anger traceable in his almost shaky voice.

That would explain why he was also angry at Kol… He felt like Kol had taken his place. But that wasn't true. _Didn't he know that no one could take in his place in my life?_ "He didn't steal me… He caught me when you pushed me away… He was there for me when you weren't," I explained softly with not even a hint of reproach in my voice, tears almost escaping my eyes.

"I'm sorry for hitting you the other day…" he whispered remorsefully, as he gently stroked over my soft cheek with his thumb.

He didn't need to apologise. I'd already forgiven him… I would always forgive him, no matter what he did.

I nodded slightly. Then I whispered in a shaky voice filled with agonising guilt, "I'm sorry for leaving you…"

He nodded and whispered, "You are forgiven." He pulled me into a hug, as he trusted himself to not bite me.

I hugged him back and felt him tightening the grip of his strong arms around me. Burying my head in his chest and feeling him rest his chin on my head, I breathed in the calming, familiar scent of my brother.

I didn't know how long we stayed like that, as we silently sought comfort and affection in the other's arms.

* * *

**Author's Note****:**

**_Awww… aren't they adorable?_**

**I want to thank my lovely beta reader ****_DareToDream123_**** for correcting this chapter! You are amazing! :D**

**By the way, I've recently changed my username from _xX-be-True-to-Who-you-AreXx_ to _l Mona l_. ****So don't worry, it's still me. ;)**

**Thank you for spending your precious time on reading this chapter. I hope you liked it, if so, please be so kind as to leave a review! :D**

**Normally, this would be the part where I thank you, my lovely readers, for reviewing on the previous chapter. However, there have been no reviews... So… Well, ****_you know what to do. xD_**

**_Does anyone else miss Christina Grimmie? She was taken from us too soon... It's just not fair. :(  
_**


	28. Chapter 28

**Disclaimer:**

**The title of the story is taken from the song "Who you are" by "Jessie J".  
****I do not own any of the mentioned songs all rights belong to their rightful owners.  
****Unfortunately, I do not own any of the characters nor do I own "the Originals" or "the Vampire Diaries" all rights belong to their rightful owners.**

* * *

**Warning: This chapter is rated M**

* * *

**Chapter 28**

"Nik?" I whispered, half asleep as I opened my eyes.

"You fell asleep, sweetheart," my brother whispered in a gentle voice, as he lowered me down onto my bed and tucked me in.

"Is the barrier gone?" I asked in a croaky voice, while my eyes tried to adjust to the bright light in my room.

"No… but they're close," Nik replied with a reassuring smile. I was too tired to know if he was telling the truth or if he was just patronizing me.

"How are the others?" I asked as I fought to keep my heavy eyelids open and not drift back into sleep.

"…They're need blood but they can manage until we get out of here," Nik told me in a gentle voice with another reassuring smile and I was still too tired to figure out if he was lying or not.

He was about to stand up from where he'd been crouching down and leave, but I stopped him by pleading in a soft but croaky voice. _"Stay."_

He silently looked at me for a moment and I wasn't sure if he was looking into my eyes or at my neck. He swallowed. "…I can't," he whispered, a hint of fear traceable in his gentle voice. The look in his eyes was enough to tell me what he meant. He didn't trust himself not to drain me if he stayed…

"I'll be outside your door in case Kol comes back," he whispered as he gently stroked over my long, golden hair.

"It wasn't his fault. He didn't mean to-" I started in a croaky voice, as I fought to keep my eyes open.

"I know…" he interrupted, a sad expression in his eyes. "Sleep now, sweetheart," he whispered, placing a soft kiss on my forehead. He switched off the lights before he left the room and closed the doors behind him.

I quickly drifted off into a peaceful sleep with a warm smile upon my face.

* * *

It was early morning when Marcel finally managed to convince a witch to help us. He brought her to the invisible, magical wall that had trapped my family and I inside our mansion for over the last 24 hours.

"How long does this take? Some of us still have a city to rule," Nik asked impatiently, glaring at the witch on the other side of the gate. But I knew my brother well enough to know that the reason for his impatience and his aggravated mood was not concern over his city, but the immense thirst for blood that was fighting to take over his senses.

"The spell that was used to create this barrier was no common spell; dark magic was used. I searched in my books for hours until I finally found a spell to lift this one," the witch explained, slightly aggravated by my hybrid brother's tone. She continued to draw a line of salt on her side of the gate.

"Please forgive my brother's behaviour, Jeannette. Unfortunately, Niklaus does not know when to shut his ungrateful mouth. However, I want you to know that my family is very thankful for what you are doing and that your services won't be forgotten," Elijah - who'd silently stood beside Nik, trying his best to not stare at my throat - explained calmly as he stepped forward.

"I damn hope so, because what I'm doing here right now won't make the covens happy. In the past year your brother here has slaughtered dozens of witches," the beautiful witch with shiny, curly raven hair and soft, dark skin said from where she was kneeling on the ground. She placed a bowl down on the ground in front of her. Of course she forgot to mention that Viktor, a _witch_, killed Hayley and my sweet little niece, which justified Nik's massacre. "I don't care about what you guys did to the covens, anyway. They're just a bunch of ignoramuses, led by old, intolerant bitches that want to stick to their highly overrated traditions regardless of the price," the beautiful witch commented. It wasn't hard to guess that the young women had already been rejected by the covens. _For what?_ I did not know. And honestly, I didn't really care as long as she would break that bloody barrier.

The woman started to pull some witch stuff out of the bag she had brought with her. Placing some candles around the bowl and lighting them, she placed a few herbs in the bowl and mixed them with brown paste. She held her hands over the bowl, closed her big, dark brown eyes in concentration and started to quietly chant.

My siblings and I silently stared at the witch as she repeated the words over and over again, her voice slowly growing louder with each repetition. Suddenly the mixture in the bowl set itself on fire. The flames of the candles burnt high and wind started to blow through the witch's beautiful hair. Her voice became loud and powerful. Despite the blood dripping from her nose, she continued.

I didn't know why but I started to feel worried about the outcast witch... I turned to look at my siblings to find them silently staring at the witch with serious expressions.

The wind and candles stopped blowing as the burning mixture went out. The chants had stopped and the witch breathed heavily from where she was kneeling on the ground.

We all looked at her expectantly.

Nik, impatient as he was, was the one to ask what everyone was wondering. "And? Did it work?"

The witch climbed back to her feet and took a look over her shoulder to Marcel, who had been watching from the background. "Go ahead. Try it," she dared my hybrid brother.

Nik gave the witch a suspicious glance. He slowly took a few steps forward and easily crossed the line of salt on the ground.

It worked. The barrier was gone and I hadn't been drained by any of my siblings.

Viktor's plan _failed._

My siblings were just about to walk past the witch and leave to find some unfortunate tourists to feed on, when the witch stopped them. "Wait. The witch who did this, _Viktor,_ he is very powerful. He never was a member of one of the covens, because his extraction was uncertain. All they know about him is that he is very old and that he's become very skilled over the years. The covens never tried to defeat him, because he never acted against them and because they have more than enough problems with the vampires and the werewolves already. But if you guys want to defeat him, you're gonna need help. A lot of it."

"Well then, seems like it's time to bury the hatchet," Nik announced enthusiastically after a moment of thinking. Then he disappeared in the blink of an eye to quench his aching thirst.

Elijah, who was still fighting against his hunger, turned to the witch. "Thank you, Jeannette. We appreciate your compliance; it won't be forgotten." Before the witch could reply, Elijah disappeared in the blink of an eye like Nik.

I felt a light breeze of air, which was probably Kol as he'd left the house to finally feed. I hadn't seen him since Nik broke his neck after he tried to feed on me last night...

I gave the witch an appreciative smile and glanced at Marcel behind her. Then I went back into the house. I had no desire to talk to Marcel... It had all become too complicated with us after we made out and I rejected him and then left for a year without telling him anything.

* * *

It was already noon when I was sitting on our antique leather sofa in one of the large rooms of our mansion. My back leaned against the armrest as I brooded over the whole Viktor situation, trying to figure out a way to get the witches on our side. I noticed Kol entering the room.

"Hey..." he said quietly as he slowly walked over to me. He looked... _sad._

"Hey... are you okay?" I asked a little worriedly, pulling my legs to my chest so that he could sit down.

"I should be the one asking you this..." he muttered quietly, sitting down on the now free spot beside me. His voice was thick with guilt and remorse.

"I'm fine, don't blame yourself. Last night- that wasn't you," I told him, trying to make him feel better. It was true; I didn't blame him for what happened. It wasn't his fault. _It was Viktor's fault._

He silently shook his head, guilt written all over his face. "Bex, if it weren't for Nik, I would have killed you..."

_"It was not your fault;_ I know that you would never try and hurt me on purpose. Viktor is the one to blame; he locked us up in here," I objected convincingly, looking into his chocolate-brown eyes and reaching over to gently place my hand over his.

He stared at me for a moment, before nodding in hesitant agreement. "Bekah... _I'm sorry,"_ my brother whispered quietly in a deeply hurt voice, after a moment of silence.

"I know," I whispered back soothingly with a small, forgiving smile on my lips, as I looked into his eyes.

"There you are. Come on we have a plan on how to get the witches on our side," Nik called from where he'd suddenly appeared in the doorway. "What is going on?" he asked suspiciously, with a hint of anger traceable in his voice as he noticed our expressions and my hand on Kol's. His paranoid mind probably thought that I was replacing him with Kol as my favourite sibling, which was ridiculous. _No one could ever replace Nik._ But he wasn't my only brother and I cared about my other siblings.

"Nothing," I lied, getting up to find out what the plan was.

* * *

"So, what's the plan?" Kol asked from where he was lounging on one of the two antique armchairs that stood in front of the heavy, wooden desk in Elijah's study.

Elijah, who was leaning against the front of the desk, glanced over at Nik, who stood behind the armchair where I was sitting, his hands placed on the armrests.

I rolled my eyes at my hybrid brother's action. _He was marking his territory._ He wanted Kol to know that I was _his,_ which was ridiculous because I didn't belong to anyone but myself. However, judging by the glare Nik received from my youngest older brother, Kol fell for Nik's game.

"The plan is to simply get the witches on our side," Elijah explained calmly, as if that was enough information for us to know what the actual plan was.

"And how exactly do you two plan to get them on our side? I don't think that asking them nicely is going to get us anywhere. The witches _hate_ us, which is not surprising considering that Nik murdered many of them," I commented sarcastically, turning slightly in my seat to glance up at Nik, with a hint of reproach in my voice.

He grinned down at me in amusement. Looking directly at Elijah, he said, "the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Even the witches know that old saying."

"But Jaennette said that the covens and Viktor simply coexist, they are not enemies," I pointed out, slightly annoyed by all the secrecy.

"Not yet," Nik objected with an evil smirk, looking over to Elijah. "You're right, little sister. As long as Viktor doesn't act against the covens, the covens will leave him be," he agreed.

"But should something rather gruesome happen to the witches, something that leads back to Viktor, the witches will declare war on him," Elijah explained, with an evil smirk that mirrored Nik's as he glanced over at him.

"And who better to have on your side when you go to war than the original vampires?" Nik asked, not really expecting an answer, an evil shimmer in his eyes.

An evil smirk appeared on my lips as I began to quite like the plan.

"And how do you plan on getting all the covens together? I mean it's not like they are one union. Many of them loathe each other," Kol pointed out as he glared over at Nik.

A smirk played on our hybrid brother's face. "What better occasion to gather together and bury the hatchet than a ball thrown by the Mikaelsons in the name of defeating our common enemy? The covens will come if they want to know which ones are interested in allying with us and which covens are not."

"And at the end of the evening, all great covens will have joined us in our fight against Viktor," Elijah declared proudly.

* * *

It was morning and I was lounging on an antique settee in my room, silently reading a book. A week had passed and Elijah had managed to convince Jeanette to perform a spell that cursed several witches from different covens to die a painful and slow death. Jeanette had performed the spell in a way that would lead the witches to Viktor, should they try to trace it back. And judging by the rumours in the quarter; they did trace the spell back and blamed Viktor for cursing their people to death.

Tonight was the ball and I honestly didn't want to go. I had no desire to be in one of our ballrooms with dozens of witches and warlocks and have idle chitchat. When I was still a vampire I wouldn't have missed an opportunity to wear a nice dress and twirl around. I would have even organised the event to the tiniest detail; but now it was _different._ I felt uncomfortable at the thought of others staring at me or at the thought of being amongst people... I felt insecure and- _God._ I didn't know...

My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of someone knocking on my door. Looking up from my book, I called, "Come in."

"Hey," Nik said softly as he entered.

"Hey," I said with a gentle smile. "Is everything alright?" I asked, a little confused as to why he was here.

"Yes, everything has gone as planned. I just wanted to check on you..." he explained calmly, taking a few steps into the room.

I smiled warmly at his words. Although I had a feeling that Nik still wasn't content with me and Kol getting along so well, it seemed like he was trying his best to not let it show.

"Do I have to go to the ball?" I suddenly heard myself asking as I looked over to my brother.

"Why wouldn't you want to go?" He asked, a little confused, as he walked over to me. "You always loved such events."

For a moment, my gaze dropped to the floor. _"Loved._ Not anymore. It's different now," I said quietly, looking back up at him.

My brother stared at me for a moment with sympathy in his blue eyes. He sighed and said, "I'm afraid you have to go, love. We have to show the witches that our family is strong, that we are one unity. It'll be quiet difficult to deliver that message if not all Mikaelsons are present, wouldn't you agree?"

After a moment of thought, I nodded.

"Now get up, I've brought you something," Nik announced with a small smile.

"What is it?" I asked suspiciously as I slowly got up.

He gave me a rather large, but light, dark blue box with a big, white ribbon on it and I silently wondered why I hadn't noticed the box when he'd entered. I looked down at the present and glanced at my brother, who still had a warm smile on his face. Walking over to my bed, I placed the box on it and opened it.

A perfectly folded dress laid inside. I took the dress out of the box and held it up to have a better look at it. It was black and non-transparent. It had a beautiful V-neckline, which was covered by light, black transparent material, with some tiny silver rhinestones on it. The skirt didn't reach over the knee and fell slightly wide.

A smile played on my lips. It was exactly my style. My brother really did know my taste.

"Do you like it?" my brother asked.

Putting the dress back down onto the bed, I turned around with a smile. "I love it!"

"Good, because I expect you to wear it tonight," he said with a warm smile.

"I will," I responded, grinning.

Walking over to my big brother, I rose to my tiptoes and placed a soft kiss on his cheek. Looking up into his blue, I whispered with a warm smile, "Thank you, Nik."

He smiled down at me and gently stroked my golden hair. "Only the best for my little sister," he whispered.

* * *

Evening fell and all our guests arrived and stood in our huge, extravagantly decorated ballroom on the ground floor. I was still in my room and added the finishing touches to my make-up. My long, blonde hair was pulled over to one side and loosely fell over my shoulder in one, big loose curl that got thinner towards the end. There were a few little, round diamond barrettes placed in my golden hair. I sat at my dressing table as I put some soft pink lipstick on, matching it with the blusher on my contoured cheeks. I had already accentuated my blue eyes with eye shadow in colours of brown and bronze, combined with a perfect black eyelid line and lashes covered in mascara. Long, thin diamond earrings, that matched the glistening diamond bracelet on my thin wrist, were dangling from my ears. I wore the dress Nik gave me and it looked beyond perfect. Taking a deep nervous breath, I admired myself in the mirror. I still didn't want to go to the ball, but if I had to go I wanted to at least look good so that I could feel at least a little more self-confident.

* * *

Leaving my room in my black high heels, I was about to go down to the ground floor and greet some of the guests, but I found Kol lurking in the empty hallway. Although my brother always hated to wear dinner jackets, he was wearing a black, high quality one. His brown hair was styled perfectly.

His eyes widened and he whistled. "Wow, Bex. You look hot."

Walking over to where he stood, I rolled my eyes at what he said. "Kol, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be downstairs greeting the guests?" I asked in a slightly annoyed tone of voice.

My brother just smiled at me mischievously in response. That was enough for me to know what he was up to.

"Oh no... Please don't tell me that you've fed on one of the witches," I demanded, my voice filled with dread, as I started to picture what that would mean for our plans.

Still smiling, he hinted with an evil spark in his chocolate brown eyes, "Not yet."

"Are you stupid!? Don't. Feed. On. The witches. It will ruin everything," I snapped at him, annoyed by his reckless behaviour.

But instead of promising to not ruin the plan, he only narrowed his eyes at me.

I just shook my head in lack of comprehension for his behaviour. My gaze set on the bowtie that hung loosely around his neck. Sighing, I took a step closer towards him and started to tie it. "After over a thousand years you still can't do them yourself, can you?" I muttered.

"Why would I need to? I've got you for that," he said with a smirk, observing my delicate hands knotting the smooth piece of textile.

Once I was finished, I noticed Kol staring at something behind me with a triumphant smirk. Turning around to see what caught his attention, I found Nik glaring angrily at our brunette brother. He was clearly not pleased about me spending time with Kol _again._ But as his gaze set on me, he seemed to forget his anger and walked to me with a smile. Taking my hands in his to have a better look at me, he said sincerely, "You look beautiful."

A warm smile played on my lips. "Thank you," I whispered quietly.

"Ok, I got it. We're all looking good. Can we go now? I'm sure you and Elijah planned a long, boring speech to begin the evening," Kol complained, annoyance and a hint of jealousy in his voice as he reached for my forearm to drag me with him downstairs. But Nik was faster and quickly wrapped an arm around my slim waist. My hybrid brother marked his territory _again._ Triumphantly smiling at an angry, glaring Kol, Nik led me down one of the two long staircases that led down to the ground floor. We came to a halt in the middle of the staircase where Elijah was already awaiting us.

"There you are. What took you so long?" Elijah asked calmly.

Nik and Kol turned to exchanged lethal glares but didn't say anything.

Noticing me, Elijah said with warm sincerity in his calm voice, "You do look lovely, sister."

I smiled warmly in response. Elijah was the only one who would say something like this and really mean it without the intention of also angering two particular brothers.

Glancing over at Nik, I realised that Elijah's comment on my appearance didn't bother him... and then it clicked in my head. Nik was used to having Elijah and me completely to himself. He was used to having our whole attention. And now there was _Kol,_ who had a strong bond with me. _Kol,_ who spent a lot of time with me. Nik wasn't used to sharing. Kol was the thorn in his eye.

Our guests gathered around the bottom of the stairs as Elijah asked for their attention. Then he and Nik held a long, epic speech about how we should bury the hatchet and how we all have to stick together in the face of a new common threat. Kol and I silently stood at their sides and nodded in agreement, so that we would appear as one unity that supported one another and had the other's back.

Once our siblings were finished with their speech, most of our guests applauded in approval. As they started to go back to what they'd been doing before the speech, I discretely mingled with the crowd to avoid Nik and Kol's ridiculous behaviour.

* * *

I stood alone in a corner of our ballroom. It was huge and crowded with witches and loyal vampires. The grand chandelier on the high ceiling caused the room to glow in a golden light that was reflected by the neatly polished, cream coloured marble floor. Elijah and Nik were sauntering methodically through the crowd as they talked to every important witch, with the aim to get them to join us in our fight against Viktor. I chose not to participate in their little game of manipulating one witch after another. I wasn't in the mood.

Silently standing in an outer area of the room, I grabbed a glass of champagne from a silver tray of a bypassing servant. But the servant apologised and took the glass from me, explaining that he was told to not give me any alcohol.

I sighed in annoyance as the servant disappeared back into the crowd.

"Looks like one of our brothers compelled the servants," I heard a very familiar, teasing voice say from beside me.

Looking to my right, I found Kol standing there with a glass of scotch in his hand. "They treat me like a child. It's ridiculous," I muttered.

"I know. They even treat me like one from time to time too. It's embarrassing," Kol said, his voice echoing his annoyance as he offered me his scotch.

I took the glass with a small grateful smile. At least there was one person who acknowledged that I was not a child anymore and that I hadn't been one for a very long time.

"If you excuse me, I still have to find a pretty young thing for the after party in my bed-chambers," Kol announced, grinning mischievously.

_"Ew!_ Disgusting," I said in repulsion with my eyes shut tightly to lock out any mental pictures, as he disappeared into the crowd.

* * *

"You have to dance with me," I heard an unfamiliar voice demand.

Turning to find a guy with brown hair and green eyes in a dinner jacket, I raised my brows and said, "Excuse me?"

"I always dance with the prettiest girl, so you have to dance with me," The male explained with a smug smile.

"Bugger off," I muttered in annoyance, turning around to leave.

He hurried around to stand in front of me again and said, "Hey, at least let me introduce myself. My name is Mason and you've been sulking in that corner all night. Why don't you come on and dance with me?" He suggested. "I promise I won't bite," he added with a grin.

He seemed like the kind of guy who didn't give up easily. I rolled my eyes and took his arm, allowing him to lead me to the centre of the room where the other guests were dancing. One dance and I would get rid of him.

"So… You don't really look like a witch. What brought you here tonight?" he asked as we danced to a slow tune. His hand rested a bit too low on my back. He obviously had no idea who I was.

"Family business," I stated simply. "You're obviously no witch either. Why are you here?"

He chuckled and said, "I'm here to meet and old friend. I arrived a bit late and I haven't found him yet." Although he tried to hide it, I could see sadness in his eyes as he mentioned his friend.

I was about to ask who that friend was, but he was faster and inquired, "Hey, why don't we go somewhere more quiet?"

Knowing what he meant, I shook my head and said, "No, I don't think that that's a good idea."

"Come on, I promise I won't bite," He said playfully, smirking.

"No, I really don't want to," I said. He was beginning to make me feel uncomfortable and I took a step back to gain some distance.

"Oh come on, don't be a prude," he said, narrowing his eyes.

I didn't know what to do. After everything that happened a year ago, I didn't really enjoy the company of men and I'd always tried to avoid them... But was I being a prude because of that? Was that what people thought of me?

Deciding that I would have to start being with men sooner or later anyway and that I couldn't be a _prude_ for my eternal life, I let him lead me out of the ballroom. It wasn't like I had to go all the way with him anyway…

* * *

I kissed Mason in an empty hallway of our mansion. Turning my head up and softly pressing my lips on his, I gently pressed him against one of the walls of the hallway with my hands on his chest. I enjoyed the control; it gave me a feeling of safety.

His hands rested on my slim waste at first. But as he began to deepen the kiss, he suddenly switched positions and, in the blink of an eye, I was the one being pressed against the wall with his hands wandering down to the hem of my dress. It was like something switched in his head and he was rougher than before. He pressed me harder against the wall and his tongue became more demanding.

I tried to push him away and tell him that I didn't like it this way, but it was hard to say anything with his tongue in my mouth. I grew scared and tears sprung to my eyes. It all reminded me too much of what happened a year ago; when Viktor hired that filthy man to rape me... I tried hard to block out the flashbacks of what happened and attempted to push Mason off of me, but it only encouraged him even more. I wasn't sure if he even realised that I didn't like what he was doing.

As his calloused hand began to run up my slim thigh, I found my voice again and mumbled a muffled "Stop" into his mouth. But before he even had the chance to react on, he was ripped away from me and punched hard in the face, which sent him flying to the floor.

I took a deep breath as I remained motionless. Looking down at my hands, I noticed that I was trembling.

"What the bloody hell do you think you're doing!?" A very angry looking Kol snarled at Mason.

"Kol! Calm down mate, I was just having some fun with that little blood bag. I thought you'd be the last one to deny his friend some pleasure," Mason explained, as if he had no idea what was wrong, while he climbed to his feet and rubbed his jaw.

"That's my little sister, you moron!" Kol snarled, full of anger as he punched Mason once more, sending him back to the floor.

"Ok... I probably deserved that one," Mason muttered as he, once again, rubbed his aching jaw, slowly getting back up on his feet. Glancing over at my trembling form he said to my brother, "But you can't seriously be mad at me for that? I mean- come on, look at her. She's hot and she doesn't really look much like you-"

Kol grabbed the other male roughly by his jacket, shoving him hard against a wall, causing cracks to appear. "I advise you to shut your bloody mouth before I rip your heart out!" he threatened, boiling with anger.

Mason silently stared at Kol for a moment, a mixture of disappointment and pain in his eyes, before he disappeared in the blink of an eye.

"Are you okay, Bex?" Kol asked, suddenly appearing at my side while placing a gentle hand on my shoulder.

I winced at the contact and squeezed my teary eyes shut. I was trying hard to block out the flashbacks of what happened a year ago that fought to get back into my head. "I don't want to be touched right now," I whispered in a voice so vulnerable that I didn't realize it was me.

Slowly withdrawing his hand, Kol nodded slightly. He looked at me with worry in his chocolate brown eyes. "What can I do?" My older brother asked, desperate to help me.

"...Just leave me alone, please..." I whispered in the same vulnerable voice as before, fighting against the tears that threatened to fall.

Kol nodded reluctantly, the deep concern clearly visible on his face as he slowly left.

* * *

**Song recommendation:  
Down Under (acoustic version) by NONONO  
(play it in the next scene)**

* * *

It was dark and it was raining rivers. I stood under the awning of a closed store in an empty alley, as I could no longer block out the images of what happened a year ago.

I wrapped my arms around my waist in a pathetic attempt at comforting myself. Fighting against hot tears that threatened to fall, I leaned my back against the old, crumbly brick wall of the building for support. I felt so _wrong_ again. I hated it. Feeling the icy night air fill my lungs as I took a deep breath, I started to calm a little bit... but I still felt like I was about to cave in...

"There you are." A voice startled me and I jumped in shock, distancing myself from the wall and letting my arms fall to my sides. I realised that it was Nik. I started to relax slightly, but not much considering everything that was on my mind...

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to startle you," Nik apologised from where he stood, deep concern visible in his eyes. _He knew_. Although it was raining rivers, somehow his dinner jacket remained dry. He must've been moving very fast through the streets. "...Kol told me what happened," Nik explained in a calm voice, which was heavy with concern. He knew what was haunting my mind; I could see it in his eyes. He was there when it happened a year ago after all – _he saved me._

My brother silently looked at me in pity.

For a moment, we stared at each other silently.

"...I feel so wrong again," I suddenly whispered in a shaky voice.

Still not breaking eye contact or moving an inch, Nik whispered in a soft voice, "I know..."

"...I feel so scared again," I whispered in a terrifyingly vulnerable voice, still fighting to hold back my hot tears.

"I know..." Nik whispered again, his soft voice full of concern.

"...I'm lost," I whispered, my voice trembling with emotions as I swallowed the lump in my throat.

"I know..." Nik whispered understandingly as he stared into my eyes.

Suddenly, I ran over to my big brother. I hugged him tightly and began to cry into his shoulder, finally allowing myself to give up the fight against my hot tears, in the safety of his strong arms.

"Sshhh… sshhh…it's okay... it's okay, love... you're safe... I'm here..." My big brother murmured soothingly into my ear over and over again, slightly tightening his grip on me as if he feared that I'd disappear.

I didn't know how long we'd been standing there in the dark alley, under the awning that shielded us from the pouring rain.

Once I'd stopped crying, Nik pulled back slightly to look down at my face. He reached up with his hand and gently wiped away my tears with his thumb.

I tried to smile at him but failed miserably.

Letting his hands run slowly over my bare arms, he pointed out in concern, "You're cold..." Taking off his suit coat, he gently pulled it over my shoulders so that I wouldn't freeze.

I gave him a weak smile as he rubbed my back soothingly.

Noticing that the rain had stopped, Nik whispered "Let's go home, love." He then wrapped a protective arm around my shoulders and we walked home in silence.

* * *

We entered through the backdoor, which led into our kitchen, in case there were still some guests at the front entrance. Full plates with appetisers for the ball laid on the kitchen counters.

"Have you eaten anything today?" I heard my big brother ask as we entered the kitchen.

The only thing I had today was the scotch Kol gave me and I certainly wasn't going to tell him that. I simply shook my head in response.

Nik nodded and was about to ask what he should make, but I was faster and told him that there was more than enough food here.

He nodded, before placing a soft kiss on the top of my golden head and asking me to take a seat at one of the barstools around the kitchen island. He mixed together a variety of food from the many plates and placed it on the island in front of me. Leaned against the kitchen counter, my brother silently watched in concern as I ate a bit. He probably thought I was too thin and that I needed to eat more. But he knew better than to speak of that now.

* * *

**Song recommendation:  
Black Magic by Ruston Kelly  
(play it in the next scene)**

* * *

Once I finished, we walked up to my bed chambers. Entering the large bedroom through the antique, French double doors, I wandered over to my king size bed and sat down at the end of it. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Nik silently sitting down beside me.

We sat quietly for a moment, before I whispered in a still, much too vulnerable voice, "...I guess the evening didn't go as planned."

"No..." Nik said quietly.

"...Did you convince the witches to join us against Viktor?" I asked, glancing over at my older brother.

"Yes, they're on our side now. Most of them..." he answered quietly.

Silence fell for another moment.

"...I couldn't help but notice that you didn't even get to dance tonight. That pathetic excuse for a vampire doesn't count," Nik pointed out, a hint of anger traceable in his voice.

"Not really..." I whispered sadly, dropping my gaze to the floor.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Nik standing up in front of me and offering me his hand.

I looked up at him in confusion.

"May I ask for this dance?" He asked with raised brows and a spark in his blue eyes.

A warm smile played on my lips as I took of his jacket, accepted his hand and stood up.

He led me to the centre of my bedroom, where we started to dance slowly. After a moment of silently swaying in my room, I rested my head on my big brother's shoulder and tried not to think about anything, allowing myself to enjoy the moment. Leaning his head down on mine and soothingly stroking my back, I felt him breathe in my vanilla scented shampoo.

We continued to dance for a while, neither of us saying anything as we simply enjoyed the closeness and the warm, peaceful feeling of home and safety that the other provided.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Hey everyone, :)**

**first of all, I want to apologize for the delay. I am so sorry! But since graduation, there has been a lot going on in my life lately.**

**I want to thank my lovely beta reader DareToDream123 for correcting this chapter! You are amazing! :D**

**Thank you for spending your precious time on reading this chapter. I hope you liked it, if so, please be so kind as to leave a review! :D**

**A BIG THANK YOU goes out to the lovely reviewers "xxdonedirtcheapxx" and "Klebekah1998"! Your reviews mean so much to me and I'm grateful that some people still take the time to write them. :)**

**Unfortunately, I have bad news… I just don't feel like writing about Klebekah anymore… Since Julie Plec is doing her best to ruin the show ****_(you know with replacing Bex with Freya and rumours of bringing Caroline, whom I've always hated, to Nola),_**** I just don't enjoy writing about Klebekah as much as I did when I had still hope of Claire Holt coming back as a series regular… I know that this will probably upset a lot of you and I am sorry to tell you that I've decided to put this story on hiatus for an indefinite amount of time. :( **

**I plan on updating a Klebekah one shot in a few days, but that will probably be my last piece of Klebekah fanfiction for a while…**

**On a brighter note, I've started writing a Game of Thrones fanfiction about Robb, Sansa and Jon (sibling relationship, platonic), which I will probably upload soon. So if you happen to watch GoT and like these characters, please check it out! :)**


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